Contemporary Media Culture and Communication - 95 1 Media criminality when reporting crime news in Sri Lanka: A case study of school girl gang raped and murdered Thevanayagam Thevananth Introduction The mass media is one of the major influencing forces in society today. The overflow of information disseminated by mass media has been increasing day by day that would be nearly impossible to measure. Media messages bombard every individual and their life. Media shaping and re-arranging the society. One of the most important genres of media is a crime, which is represented in many different media categories from entertainment to news. Crime is sensational. When doing Sensational reporting has been affecting victims. Hence, considering the interest of those affected such reporting should have been avoided. Also, such a move pushes them into dangerous zones. Hence, media reporting should consider this matter as well. Thus, special care should be taken while reporting on women and children who could get affected quite easily. Self-Censorship becomes important. Media reports should be a tool to reduce fear among society. In Northern Srilanka school girl who was gang-raped and murdered in 2015. A special court, a Trial-at-Bar with three High Court Judges were investigated. The trial was started in June judgment was released in September 2017. Seven perpetrators were convicted and sentenced to death. Since the case was going on in an open court, the media, in turn, show a high interest in reporting. Each proceeding inch by inch reported