Another femicide was reported today (23) when a man surrendered to the police after allegedly killing a woman by slitting her throat inside an abandoned bungalow at the Imbulpitiyaya Estate in Nawalapitiya.

The suspect initially turned himself in to the Gampola Police, and was later handed over to Nawalapitiya Police for further investigation.

The incident is believed to have occurred on the evening of 22 September. The victim has been identified as 39-year-old Yoga Malar, a mother of three who was residing in the Imbulpitiyaya Estate.

According to police investigations, the woman had been living with the suspect in the Pussellawa area, Gampola, for approximately nine months. However, she had recently returned to her legal husband’s home. It has been revealed that she remained in contact with the suspect through regular phone calls and was preparing to travel overseas for domestic work.

Police further stated that the suspect had strongly opposed her plans to migrate. Reportedly, on the day of the incident, he had called the woman and asked her to come to the abandoned bungalow. It is there that he allegedly killed her by slashing her throat.

The body of the victim has been sent to the Nawalapitiya District General Hospital for a post-mortem examination, according to Nawalapitiya Police.

• What is a femicide: Femicide or feminicide is the intentional murder of women or girls because of their gender. In domestic fields, 50% of all femicides are committed by male intimate partners, or by male family members of the woman or girl.