The postmortems of three family members found in a burning two-storey house in Sinhapura, Chilaw, will be held this evening (21) at the District General Hospital Chilaw. Police investigations into the deaths are focusing on a possible homicide, as one of the bodies was discovered with a slit throat, according to Police Spokesperson DIG Nihal Thalduwa.

The deceased include a 42-year-old man, his 40-year-old wife, and their 15-year-old daughter. The bodies were found after the fire was extinguished, with the mother on a bed and the father and daughter in the living room.

Initially, it was believed that the fire had caused the deaths, but further examination revealed that the woman's throat appeared to have been slit. "The woman found dead on the bed had a noticeable wound on her throat, suggesting it may have been slit," DIG Thalduwa stated in Colombo. He noted that due to the extent of burns on the body, it is difficult to confirm whether the injury was caused by the fire or inflicted beforehand.

The deceased woman worked as a development officer at the Chilaw Divisional Secretariat and was also a Sunday school teacher. Her husband was involved in vehicle and property businesses, and their daughter was preparing to sit for the G.C.E. Ordinary Level exam next year.

DIG Thalduwa said that police observed that the house's door had been locked from the inside and that flammable materials, including coconut husks and firewood, had been brought into the living room. This has led police to suspect that a domestic dispute may have escalated into the tragic incident.