Three youths have been arrested by the Athurugiriya police for trying to run over a couple travelling on a motorcycle in Athurugiriya.

Police said the driver of the car had tried to run over the couple in connection with an incident of posting an advertisement on the internet using another woman's photograph and that they are engaged in prostitution.

They said a 26-year-old woman, a resident of Homagama who was travelling on the motorcycle, has been admitted to the National Hospital in Colombo for treatment of serious injuries.

Investigations revealed that an advertisement had been posted on the internet with a phone number of the injured woman and a photograph of another woman stating that the victim was engaged in prostitution.

Later, the boyfriend of the woman in the photograph called the phone number and informed the injured woman to come. The woman had come with another person on a motorcycle and the person who made the phone call came with two other people in a car.

Police said a dispute had taken place between the two groups after they recognized each other.

It has been revealed during police investigations that the couple on the motorcycle had tried to escape and the other group in the car had chased them and tried to run them over.

Police said the arrested suspects, aged between 21 and 22, and residents of Athurugiriya and Homagama were produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate's Court and remanded till May 26. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)