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| Sunday, 16 May 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Prasanna - victim of beastly murder in London by Prasad Gunewardene
Stepping on a foot of a child or an adult at a busy railway station is a human error. If the offender is assaulted while apologising the attacker is considered a beast. Vipula Prasanna (41), a Sri Lankan employed in South London accidentally stepped on the foot of a ten-year-old child at the Wembley Railway Tube on April 30 at a busy time. He immediately bent down to apologise for the mistake in a gentlemanly manner. A six-foot man, wearing a baseball cap who accompanied the child assaulted Prasanna. The victim was thrown away and hit his head on a concrete slab and lay unconscious as the attacker fled the scene. Prasanna was rushed to an Intensive Care Unit at a nearby hospital by the authorities at the Tube. The 41-year-old Sri Lankan who was unconscious for five days, succumbed to his injuries on May 5, plunging his wife, three daughters and the son in Colombo into unbearable grief. The 'Sunday Observer' visited the home of Prasanna at Gomes Lane, Colombo 12 this week to gather details about the incident. Standing at the entrance was his twenty-year-old daughter, Sashika Harshani an Advanced Level student who had an extreme love for her father. Her grief stricken face unfolded the extreme love she had for her father. She sobbed and sobbed. The tears that rolled down her cheeks indicated the bond of love between this father and daughter. The last birthday card sent by Prasanna to his daughter read the following message "Darling my daughter, you are my queen. My hopes are on you and I am sure you'll make them a reality. Good luck for your A/L exam on May 6." This card was accompanied by a birthday gift to Shashika. Prasanna who worked as a Shop Assistant in Brixton, South London brought happiness to his family in Colombo and was to return on June 13. "Thaththi called me on my birthday to wish me and told me to do the exam well. He had hope in me and wanted me to study well. I never dreamt it would be the last call from him. Who will assault a man who tenders an apology for an error he had made? Do British people behave in such a dastardly manner", Sashika asked sobbing bitterly. "After he spoke to me over the telephone, Thaththi spoke to Ammi and told her he would call back on May 3 to wish Ammi on her birthday. He told Ammi to ask me to study hard for the exam on May 6th, Sashika added wiping tears that rolled down the cheeks. Prasanna's wife, Sudanthika was expecting her husband's call on May 3 which was her birthday. The telephone ran much later than expected. The CLI facility indicated it was a call from London. An overjoyed Sudanthika picked up the phone cracking a joke about the delay in wishing her. Alas....to her dismay it was a British woman caller. Sudanthika had thought that Prasanna was trying a fast one and had asked the woman to give the phone to her husband. "She said that Prasanna was in hospital after an accident and asked me to get the details from a police officer who was with her," a grief stricken Sudanthika said. When Sudanthika had started to scream, Sashika who was studying in her room had got alarmed. Within minutes the family were in tears. The British woman who conveyed the message on Prasanna's plight had been the owner of the apartment rented out to Prasanna. For Sudanthika and her four children, the tragic message was like the world collapsing at their feet. Sudanthika wiping her tears added that they had hope he would regain consciousness. Prasanna's aged mother, Wimalawathi and father, Wijeratne unable to bear the grief have fallen sick. On May 5 the final message reached Colombo on the passing away of Prasanna. The world collapsed at their feet and Sashika gave up the hope of sitting for the exam next day. When I reached their home, Sudanthika flanked by her children, Sashika (20), son, Nipuna Madhusanka (15), the two younger daughters, Lakshani (10) and Divyanjali (4) were gazing at the sky expecting the remains of their beloved Prasanna. This family was deprived of a precious father, the wife was denied of a caring and devoted husband while Prasanna's parents lost a gem of a son. The assailant is said to be at large. British Detective Inspector, Colin Sutton has described the incident to be 'a minor disagreement that escalated into an act of violence against a total stranger.' Prasanna's family wants this beastly murder investigated and the culprit brought to book. The CCTV cameras at the Wembley Tube station have shown that the assailant accompanied by the ten-year-old child had walked towards Chalkhill Estate. "We want Prime Minister Tony Blair to ensure justice to prevent such unfortunate incidents in the future as Englishmen are known to be people with manners, Sudanthika pleaded. "They should at least send my husband's remains soon for us to perform the final rites," the weeping mother of four concluded at the doorstep when I left them. |
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