Daily NEWS Srilanka

An accident was reported on 24th night, a few hours before the dawn of Christmas when a motor cycle plying across Kosinna Road, Ganemulla had struck a bus which was returning from  Kataragama pilgrimage. As a result of this collision 2 schoolboys travelling on this motor bike had lost their lives.The deceased were Imbulgoda Lakshan Bandara and Thurunu Dasunpriya Bamunusingha
of Ihala Biyanwila studying in grade 13 of Colombo Ananda College.

Mr. Bandara Weerasingha, father of Lakshan Bandara had this to say. "My son was so very skilled at Art and was good n his studies. He passed the scholarship at Imbulgoda Sunethra Devi College and was chosen to enter Kelaniya Gurukula and was then chosen to enter Colombo Ananda College in the 11th year. Very soon he began to ride motor bikes. He likes to ride them rather fast. I advised him on his limits. I didn't punish son very much as such. As he was a good boy I explained matters to him in a good way. My son had about 20 friends. His friend who died with him was his best friend. That evening he said he was going to attend a birthday party and had gone in a cab and later on the way had got on to the friend's bike with the idea of returning home. It was while returning that way that this accident had happened. The other friend who rode the bike too is someone who liked riding at a top speed. After the bike struck, I felt that this bus had dragged my son for some distance".

Businessman Dias Bamunusingha, father of student Thurunu Nayanajith the other deceased, had this to say: "My son received his initial education at Welipillewa Jayakody Vidyalaya and having pursued his studies at Vidyaloka Vidyalaya and after passing his ordinary level exam was finally studying Technology at Colombo Ananda College. He was also the head prefect at Vidyaloka Vidyalaya. My son was skillful at music, photography and computer literacy. He was involved in a research these days of making the Minor car at home move along with the aid of computer technology.

On the day of this accident he joined us in a pooja at Nawagamu Devala and the pooja offering was offered by son himself. When returning once more I overheard him telling the younger brother that if after going to the latrine this December 31st at 11.59 in the night, there was no chance of coming back anymore. Even in son's horoscope there was no indication that he had a fateful malefic 'apala' as such. What was mentioned was that he would go further in higher studies.

His future hopes was to become an engineer. The other friend who came on the bike with my son having fallen down had been dragged for some distance by the bus, i came to hear. Anyway we lost our darling son forever!"

Officer in charge of traffic of Ganemulla Police and inspector of police Aruna Kumara and police constable Madhava (84556) who conducted investigations in this connection said that the reason for the accident was that it had not been able to control the bike on this road full of defects and was uneven. Incidentally, the driver of the bus, Prasanna Wickramasingha the suspect was remanded by Gampaha Courts till the 2nd.

Final rites of Nayanajith would be conducted on 28th Thursday at Horagahakanda Cemetery while Lakshan's final rites would be conducted on 27th Wednesday at Imbulgoda Cemetery.

Gampaha -- K.A. Sisira Kumara