SRI LANKA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING WOMAN, HIDING BODY IN TRAVEL BAG

April 28, 2025:

The Colombo High Court on April 24, 2025 sentenced a man to death for the murder of a woman whose body was found concealed in a travel bag—an incident that sent shockwaves across the country back in 2015.  
High Court Judge Adithya Patabendi delivered the capital punishment to the accused Patrick Krishnanadan following a trial that concluded with a conviction beyond reasonable doubt.  
The case stemmed from the murder of Dharmaraja Karthika, a woman from Jaffna, whose body was discovered concealed inside a travel bag at a bus halt near the Bastian Mawatha bus terminal in Colombo. The incident sent shockwaves across the country at the time due to the gruesome nature of the crime.  
According to the prosecution, the murder occurred at a lodge on Hetti Veediya, Colombo, where the accused had stayed with the victim.
Investigations revealed that the two had been involved in a relationship spanning six years, and had last been seen together at the same lodge just six days before the murder.   
Investigators managed to identify the victim after her image was widely shared on social media. Forensic and witness evidence led to the arrest and subsequent indictment of Krishnanadan.   
The accused was found guilty based on compelling evidence presented by the prosecution. Judge Patabendi stated that the prosecution had successfully established the case beyond reasonable doubt, leaving no room for leniency.