Careless driving claims two more lives

by Ananda Agalakada and M.D. Raymond Aponso, Kochchikade spl. Cor.

Careless driving is becoming a social menace in the country despite stringent measures introduced by the law enforcement authorities. Yet another two lives were lost due to negligent driving by a fanatic, a few days ago.

Sithmini Natasha, 13, from Kandawela, Katana was a student of Vidyalankara College in Negombo. She was a bright student in Grade Nine. On that fateful day, together with her sister she got on to her grandfather's push cycle with lots of dreams. She did not imagine that she would end her life en-route to the school.

Natasha's grandfather, Mark Fernando attempted to give an education for his nieces. He rode his bicycle with his nieces to achieve their desired goals.Unfortunately Mark Fernando and his niece lost their lives on the road meeting with an accident.

Eight-year-old Natasha's sister Kavindi Narthana is undergoing treatment at the Colombo General Hospital for injuries sustained.

Natasha never liked to wear black. That fateful day she asked me the black skirt for her tuition class, said her mother Rajika Senani weeping and touching her beloved daughter's dead body.

Natashba's mother was shocked and speechless after her daughter's sudden demise. She has refused to take any food.

She said, Natasha was her eldest daughter. She had a sister and a 5-year-old brother.She said, "after my husband and I left for work my children were looked after by my husband's parents. They had no world other than my children".

The grandfather loved them so much so that he bought a three-wheeler to take the girls to the tuition classes.On the way to the tuition class, they had faced another accident in which Natasha was injured a month ago.

After that her grandfather decided not to take them to the class by the three-wheeler and took them in his push-bicycle when they met with the accident. I lost my daughter and dearest father-in-law because of the careless driver, Rajika said.

Natasha's youngest brother was too small to understand the good and the bad in this world. He said in broken language, "My sister and grandfather were run over by the drunken uncle. My sister loved me and bought me what I was fond of eating."

Kelum Ekanayaka, Vice Principal, Vidyalankara College said, "We cannot understand what happened to Sithmi Natasha. She was and innocent girl and a member of the college musical band.

She was bright in all subjects and could perform with responsibility.

The police said, when the drivers do not discharge their duty accurately there is no end to accidents in the country. The police have imposed laws to minimise accidents, if drivers do not adhere to the laws of the land there is no guarantee that pedestrians and passengers are safe.