High speed collision kills two, others injured

Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

A car travelling at high speed collided with a SLTB bus near the Kalattawa Army Camp at Anuradhapura killing its driver and his daughter while causing serious injury to his wife and the other two daughters yesterday morning around 9.15 am, the Police Media Spokesman, SSP Ranjith Gunesekera told the Sunday Observer.

The deceased have been identified as one Pragathie Mahilal (45) an Advertising Manager of the Vijaya Group of Newspapers, Colombo who joined the company recently.

His four year daughter succumbed to her injuries on admission to the Matale Hospital. His wife and the other two daughters were admitted to the Kandy Hospital with serious injuries, SSP Gunesekera said.

According to police the car bearing No WPGC 0283 had rammed into a SLTB bus bearing No 63-4883 along Matale-Anuradhapura Road. The deceased was travelling with his family to his native village in Anuradhapura, to visit his mother, during the Sinhala New Year when the mishap occurred, Vijaya newspaper sources said.

The SLCTB bus driver had attempted to avoid a collision, Anuradhapura police said. Further inquires are being conducted by the Anuradhapura police.