A series of tragic incidents involving a religious preacher, his family, and followers has unfolded, revealing a chain of suicides in Malabe, Sri Lanka. The main figure in this distressing sequence is 46-year-old Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne, a religious preacher who, along with his family, succumbed to poison in a shocking turn of events.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has taken charge of the investigation into the string of seven deaths under suspicious circumstances, all linked to this religious preacher's suicide.
The saga began with the suicide of Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne, a religious preacher known for his activities across the island. Subsequently, two of his followers, a 21-year-old woman in Yakkala and a 34-year-old man from Ambalangoda, were found dead due to suspected poisoning. Both had attended the preacher's funeral.
Earlier, on December 31, Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne's wife, aged 35, had committed suicide by consuming poison after administering it to her two sons (aged 9 and 8) and daughter (aged 6) at their residence in Kahantota, Malabe. The police suspect that the deaths are linked to the ingestion of the same type of poison.
Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne, known for his religious lectures shared on social media, had relocated from Polonnaruwa to Homagama a few months ago, hoping to go abroad. However, the reasons behind this tragic incident remain unclear, with suspicions of financial problems being a potential factor.
On the 28th, Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne consumed poison, leading to his demise. A few days later, his wife and three children, who had moved to Homagama with him, also fell victim to poisoning.
The family had sold their property in Polonnaruwa before the move, and Gunaratne was temporarily residing in the Homagama area. The police are investigating the case, attempting to determine the precise motive behind the tragic suicides.
In a chilling development, one of Mr. Gunaratne's followers, Isuru Budara Welivitigoda, a 34-year-old man from Ambalangoda, was found dead in a lodge on Maharagama Railway Station Road. He, too, had ingested poison and is believed to have participated in the religious lectures conducted by Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne.
The police discovered a bag suspected to contain poison, a water bottle, and two mobile phones at the scene. Further investigations are underway to unravel the connections between the deceased followers and the religious preacher.
Adding to the distressing series of incidents, a 21-year-old girl from Yakkala-Rapalwatta, reportedly a follower of Gunaratne, also committed suicide by drinking poison. The police are actively conducting investigations into these tragic events, seeking to understand the circumstances that led to this distressing chain of suicides.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has taken charge of the investigation into the string of seven deaths under suspicious circumstances, all linked to this religious preacher's suicide.
The saga began with the suicide of Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne, a religious preacher known for his activities across the island. Subsequently, two of his followers, a 21-year-old woman in Yakkala and a 34-year-old man from Ambalangoda, were found dead due to suspected poisoning. Both had attended the preacher's funeral.
Earlier, on December 31, Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne's wife, aged 35, had committed suicide by consuming poison after administering it to her two sons (aged 9 and 8) and daughter (aged 6) at their residence in Kahantota, Malabe. The police suspect that the deaths are linked to the ingestion of the same type of poison.
Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne, known for his religious lectures shared on social media, had relocated from Polonnaruwa to Homagama a few months ago, hoping to go abroad. However, the reasons behind this tragic incident remain unclear, with suspicions of financial problems being a potential factor.
On the 28th, Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne consumed poison, leading to his demise. A few days later, his wife and three children, who had moved to Homagama with him, also fell victim to poisoning.
The family had sold their property in Polonnaruwa before the move, and Gunaratne was temporarily residing in the Homagama area. The police are investigating the case, attempting to determine the precise motive behind the tragic suicides.
In a chilling development, one of Mr. Gunaratne's followers, Isuru Budara Welivitigoda, a 34-year-old man from Ambalangoda, was found dead in a lodge on Maharagama Railway Station Road. He, too, had ingested poison and is believed to have participated in the religious lectures conducted by Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratne.
The police discovered a bag suspected to contain poison, a water bottle, and two mobile phones at the scene. Further investigations are underway to unravel the connections between the deceased followers and the religious preacher.
Adding to the distressing series of incidents, a 21-year-old girl from Yakkala-Rapalwatta, reportedly a follower of Gunaratne, also committed suicide by drinking poison. The police are actively conducting investigations into these tragic events, seeking to understand the circumstances that led to this distressing chain of suicides.
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