Nov 01, Ratnapura: Sri Lanka's gem mining town of Kahawatta in the Ratnapura District was on alert again after a woman living alone found hacked to death.

The recent victim is the 15th woman found killed in a series of gruesome murders in the area over the past year.

The 60-year-old woman has been found stabbed to death by unidentified persons at a house in Warapitiya, Kahawatta yesterday evening, police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody said.

Police is after a criminal who was recently released on bail after being held in remand under suspicion for some killings of this series. He has reportedly visited the area several days ago.

Kahawatta has drawn attention of police and media recently due to several mysterious murders of older women in the area during the past few months. As many as 10 elderly women have been found murdered last year and in January this year a mother and a teenage daughter were found brutally murdered.

In June, charred bodies of two elderly women were found inside a burnt house in the same area.

A former coordinating secretary of a government minister has been arrested for killing the mother and a daughter in this village and he is suspected of plotting six more similar killings to mislead law enforcement authorities from investigating him.

Police had provided special security to the village following the series of murders. However, the yesterday's crime scene is only a kilometer away from the police post newly established in the village to provide security.