NUWARA ELIYA, Sri Lanka — March 9, 2026
A series of official investigations — including a review of CCTV footage, forensic examinations, and an inquiry by a special panel of doctors — has found no evidence that the body of a 23-year-old woman was sexually abused while stored at the mortuary of Dickoya Base Hospital in Sri Lanka’s central hill country.
The conclusion follows weeks of public outrage, protests by plantation workers and residents, and political pressure that pushed the case into national prominence after allegations of necrophilia circulated widely on social media.
Those claims emerged after reports that three junior hospital employees had entered the mortuary at night without authorization, raising suspicions that the woman’s body had been interfered with.
Officials say the investigations found procedural violations but no medical or forensic evidence of sexual misconduct.
Death and Initial Inquiry
The incident began on February 23, when the woman, a resident of the Hatton area, died by suicide following what police described as a domestic dispute.
Her body was taken to Dickoya Base Hospital, a government medical facility serving tea estate communities across the Nuwara Eliya district, for a post-mortem examination.
The autopsy was conducted the following day, February 24, by the hospital’s Judicial Medical Officer. After the examination, the body was released to the family.
Concerns surfaced the next day when the mortuary attendant reported that the body appeared to have been repositioned overnight, prompting hospital authorities to open an internal investigation.
CCTV Footage Raises Questions
As part of the inquiry, officials reviewed CCTV footage from the mortuary area, which showed three junior hospital employees — none assigned duties there at night — entering the facility several times.
According to investigators, the sequence unfolded in three stages: one employee first entered the mortuary alone, later returned with two colleagues, and then entered again alone.
Each visit lasted only a few seconds, according to officials familiar with the review.
Hospital authorities said the entries were unauthorized and inappropriate, but the investigation found no evidence indicating that sexual abuse had occurred.
Forensic Findings
Investigators also identified procedural lapses in mortuary management.
Although the facility contains six refrigerated storage units, officials said the woman’s body had been placed on the floor rather than inside one of the refrigeration chambers.
A three-member internal committee initially examined the incident. The case was later reviewed by a separate panel of medical specialists appointed by the Nuwara Eliya Regional Director of Health Services.
Doctors involved in the inquiry said the post-mortem examination conducted after the night in question showed no signs of sexual interference or abuse.
“The medical and forensic findings do not support the allegations that were circulated,” one specialist involved in the investigation said.
Political and Public Reaction
The allegations triggered protests outside Dickoya Base Hospital beginning March 3, with estate workers and local residents demanding accountability.
Demonstrations later spread to other parts of the Nuwara Eliya district, a tea-growing region home to large numbers of Tamil-speaking Indian-origin plantation workers.
Supporters of a political party active in the plantation sector also joined the protests, amplifying calls for an independent investigation.
The controversy reached Parliament, where opposition lawmakers questioned the government about the incident.
Health and Mass Media Minister Nalinda Jayatissa told Parliament that authorities would conduct a thorough inquiry and inform lawmakers of the findings.
Officials say the minister’s office has now been briefed on the conclusions of the investigations, though the full reports have not yet been publicly released.
Police Investigation Continues
Police in Norwood are continuing a separate investigation after the woman’s family filed a formal complaint.
One of the employees seen entering the mortuary alone on the CCTV footage is currently reported missing, and authorities say efforts are underway to locate him.
Hospital administrators have also informed regional health officials that ongoing protests have disrupted hospital operations and staff duties.
While investigators found no evidence supporting allegations of sexual abuse, health officials acknowledged that the unauthorized entries into the mortuary represent serious breaches of hospital procedure.
Disciplinary action against the employees involved is under consideration, officials said.
