A young man has been arrested by the Lindula Police for allegedly abducting an underage schoolgirl and holding her at a residence in the Haputale area.
The girl, a 15-year-old Grade 10 student at a Tamil school in Talawakelle and a resident of Lorgie Estate, had reportedly developed a romantic relationship with the suspect through Facebook.
According to police investigations, the girl left her home secretly and met the suspect at the Nanu Oya railway station at his request. From there, the two are said to have travelled together by train to Haputale, where she was kept at a house.
The girl had been living under the care of her father, as her mother is currently employed overseas. After she was reported missing by her father, the Lindula Police launched an investigation and were able to trace her location and take her into protective custody. The suspect was subsequently arrested.
The girl was referred to the Judicial Medical Officer at the Nuwara Eliya General Hospital for examination, while the suspect is scheduled to be produced before court today.
