May 06, Colombo (LNW): Two additional undergraduates from the Faculty of Technology at Sabaragamuwa University have been taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), as part of an intensifying investigation into a suspected ragging incident that has rocked the academic community.
These latest arrests bring the total number of students detained in connection with the case to ten, police sources confirmed.
The two third-year students were detained amid mounting concerns over the institutional culture surrounding student initiation rituals, particularly within university faculties known for their competitive environments.
The suspects are due to be presented before the Balangoda Magistrate’s Court for further judicial proceedings.
The incident, which sparked public outrage and a national conversation about the safety and wellbeing of students in higher education, was initially reported to the Samanala Wewa Police on April 29.
The complaint followed the tragic death of 23-year-old Charith Dilshan, a second-year student from the Department of Engineering Technology. Dilshan was found to have died by suicide under circumstances now being linked to abusive peer practices.
Just days later, on May 01, another student formally lodged a complaint with authorities, claiming that Dilshan’s death was a direct consequence of physical and psychological torment inflicted through ragging.
This led to further testimonies being gathered from at least 20 other students, many of whom recounted similar ordeals within the university environment.
In response to growing public pressure and the sensitive nature of the allegations, the Acting Inspector General of Police transferred the case to the CID on May 03.
The move was intended to guarantee a thorough and unbiased inquiry, especially given the broader implications such cases hold for student welfare and campus governance.
The case has reignited longstanding criticism of ragging in Sri Lankan universities—a practice that, whilst officially outlawed, continues in various covert forms across campuses.
Civil society organisations, student unions, and educational activists have once again called on university administrations and government authorities to introduce stronger preventive mechanisms and enforce zero-tolerance policies with greater rigour.
