An 18-year-old schoolgirl was abducted in Gelioya on 11 January at about 7.15 a.m.

According to CCTV footage, the victim and another schoolgirl were walking along the road when a black van approached. One of the individuals in the van forcibly grabbed the girl and pushed her into the vehicle.

A bystander attempted to stop the abduction, but the van sped off.

The Daulagala Police Station stated that the incident is related to a family dispute. The girl’s parents had arranged her marriage to one of her cousins, but the engagement was later called off. The suspect, the cousin, abducted the victim in retaliation.

The van, which was abandoned, was found in Polonnaruwa, but there has been no news about the whereabouts of either the victim or the suspect.

Police investigations are ongoing.