Doctor Granted Police Bail After Allegedly Setting Fire to Panadura Home

In a disturbing incident that has sent ripples through the Panadura community, a doctor employed at the local Children and Maternity Hospital has been taken into custody and subsequently released on police bail. The arrest stems from allegations that the physician deliberately set fire to a private residence located on Cyril Jansz Mawatha in Panadura.

The complaint was lodged by the homeowner, a private bank official, who reported that the doctor trespassed into his home on May 9 and intentionally set it ablaze. Following the complaint, the doctor was summoned to the police station, where a statement was recorded before being released on bail. According to senior police officials, the doctor, who resides in a neighboring house, is accused of first disabling the home's CCTV cameras with a torch before igniting the structure itself.

“

The suspect doctor entered the house with a torch and a bottle and set fire to the CCTV cameras, after which the house also caught fire.

The fire, which reportedly lasted for about an hour and a half, caused substantial damage to the house's electrical wiring, interior walls, and the security cameras. Footage from other CCTV cameras in the vicinity reportedly captured the doctor using a torch-like object to set fire to the cameras before the house caught fire, with the complainant alleging the use of petrol in the arson. Further investigations are underway by the Panadura South Police, led by Chief Inspector N.D. Upul Priyankara, to ascertain the full details of the incident.

“

The fire caused severe damage to the CCTV cameras installed in the house, the house's wiring system, and the walls.