Father remanded over deaths of two kids in lodge fire

The father of two children who died in a fire at a lodge in Batticaloa town has been remanded until the 1st of next month after being produced before the Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court.
He was arrested by police over contradictory statements and several related findings.

The suspect initially stated that he had come to the lodge with his children as his wife was suffering from cancer and was receiving treatment at the Batticaloa Hospital.

However, investigations revealed that his claim that his wife was suffering from cancer was false.

It has also been uncovered that he had been begging in various parts of the country with his wife and children using a fake identity card.

Later, it is reported that a dispute occurred between the couple, after which the wife left with the elder child to her mother’s house in the Beliatta area.

Police said that the child’s grandmother and mother, along with the 9-year-old boy, gave statements to the Batticaloa Police this afternoon (29).

The post-mortem examination of the two children is scheduled to be conducted tomorrow.