A Sri Lankan Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) inspects the burnt house a day after a fire broke out at an elder care home in Batagoda on June 4, 2026.
The manager of a Sri Lankan care home was arrested Thursday, a day after a fire killed 12 residents and injured six others, officials said.
The manager of the Maupiya Sewana Elders Home was arrested as forensic experts combed through the wreckage and discovered seven more charred bodies, raising the death toll to 12.
An AFP photographer saw the manager in handcuffs being escorted to the scene on Thursday, as police interviewed survivors and neighbours.
In addition to elderly residents, the facility also housed young people with mental issues.
