By Norman Palihawadane

Four persons were arrested while allegedly transporting 62,100 narcotic pills during a raid conducted by Kotahena Police on Wednesday (23).

Police said the suspects had been arrested near an apartment complex on Armour Street in the Kotahena Police Division acting on a tip-off.

The suspects were allegedly transporting the pills in a van and a car, both of which were taken into police custody.

The suspects, aged 30, 35 and 55, are residents of Puttalam, police said.

Further investigations are being conducted by Kotahena Police.

Police have launched an investigation to identify and arrest a suspect allegedly involved in the abduction and sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl at Galle Face Green in Colombo.

The incident is reported to have occurred on January 23, 2026, within the Fort Police Division.

Following a complaint lodged at the Fort Police Station, police have commenced investigations to identify the suspect and arrest him.

Police have released a composite sketch of the suspect and appealed to the public to provide any information that could assist in identifying or locating the individual.

Anyone with information regarding the suspect or the incident has been requested to contact the Officer-in-Charge of the Fort Police Station on 071-8591560 or the Fort Police Station on 011-2432635.

A national media guidelines code has been prepared to ensure the dignity, privacy and confidentiality of children are protected when matters concerning them are reported. The matter was discussed when the committee, chaired by Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, met in Parliament on September 22.

The proposed guidelines seek to ensure that the best interests of children are given priority while maintaining accuracy and fairness in reporting and preventing the unnecessary exposure of children and their families through print, electronic and social media.

The committee also stressed the need for media organisations to safeguard the dignity and rights of children with disabilities when reporting on matters concerning them.

The recruitment and training of female police officers proficient in Tamil to strengthen Women and Children’s Units in Tamil-speaking areas were also discussed. The move is aimed at addressing language barriers faced by women and children, including in Jaffna, when making complaints to the authorities.

The committee also considered introducing a centralised information system to regulate and monitor children’s homes across the country. It stressed the need to hold the management of such institutions accountable for preventing violence against children.

Meanwhile, the committee discussed issues concerning mothers with children below five years of age leaving the country for foreign employment. A technical committee is expected to make a final decision on the matter.

The possibility of introducing a programme to reimburse educational expenses incurred for the children of women employed overseas was also considered.

Plans to introduce common standards for all preschools by 2027 and establish a common training and certification system for preschool teachers were also discussed, along with measures to address infrastructure shortcomings in preschools.

The committee further focused on expediting the issuance of judicial medical and Government Analyst’s reports to minimise delays in child abuse trials, addressing staff shortages at the Attorney General’s Department and establishing a special mechanism for the speedy hearing of child abuse cases.

Legal amendments required to prohibit corporal punishment of children were also discussed.

Deputy Minister of Women and Child Affairs Dr. Namal Sudarshana, other Deputy Ministers, MPs and officials of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs participated in the meeting.