Craze for jewellery ends in death

By Ananda Agalakada

It was the love of jewellery that propelled Siriwadeni to continue living. She saved every penny to buy jewellery. Siriwadeni always wore the jewellery she had collected. She was always well-dressed and to add glamour she matched her clothes with matching jewellery.

She felt awkward if she did not wear jewellery. She would never leave the house without wearing any of it. She had bangles, chains, rings and bracelets of different shapes and sizes all made out of 22 carat gold.

She became the cynosure of all eyes. Others were jealous of the jewellery she owned.

As a teacher she received a regular monthly income and she spent it economically. She invested some money in jewellery. Siriwadeni would put cheetus and when she got the lump sum she would straight away go to the jeweller and purchase bangles and chains.

Siriwadeni resided in Sampur and was thirty-three-years-old. Living in Sampur during the time of the war on terrorism was like hell on earth because of unending terrorist activity but she amidst all this terror somehow studied and trained as a teacher.

She even took care of her family members. There was a time when the lives of her mother, brother and two sisters were at stake because of terrorist activity. Somehow she overcame all odds and ended up being a qualified teacher. All this was possible because of her perseverance.

Siriwadeni being the eldest in her family felt responsible for her family members.

During the height of terrorist activity she was worried about her family and kept a close watch over them without allowing any harm to befall them. When nightfall came they were afraid for their lives and hid in the dense jungles.

Terrorist

However, Siriwadeni was not discouraged by terrorism. She was determined to study well and fulfil her duty towards society. She taught her students ways and means of achieving success despite the on-going chaos. She told the students to aspire and achieve their ambitions.

Siriwadeni's father Kurukulasinham died of a brief illness. Then she took care of the family. Now Siriwadeni was the only breadwinner after her father's demise. Her mother Kalechelvam was not strong enough to be employed. Siriwedeni's sister and brothers were still studying and she took the responsibility of her family.

She was not interested in marriage and declined any offer of marriage. If her relatives brought a marriage proposal she refused and said that her brothers and sister should complete their education for her to even consider marriage.

Siriwadeni, however, was fond of wearing jewellery. She bought a necklace, rings, earrings and bracelets and wore them.

She had bought an anklet and always wore it around her ankles.

Siriwadeni had taught in a school in Patalipuram. The school was 13 kilometres away from her residence. Transport facilities were poor. She decided to buy a motorcycle to go to work.

Dressed in a sari and wearing all her jewellery, Siriwadeni left for work on her motorcycle in the morning. Being in a village she was loved by the village folk. She was ever willing to help the villagers.

Four youth followed Siriwadeni and kept a close watch over her routine. They observed that she was always well dressed and wearing jewellery. They followed her every movement because they were eyeing the jewellery.

Siriwadeni did not in her wildest dreams guess that she was being closely watched because she thought that the villagers loved and respected her because of her kind and concerning ways.

On that fateful day, Siriwadeni got astride her motorcycle and with the blessings of her family left for work. She rode through the dense jungle all alone. The gang of four youth followed her and stopped her on the way and began chatting to her.

When she got ready to go away, one of them gave her a fatal blow on her head with an axe. Siriwadeni fell with her motorcycle and died on the spot. Her face had many cut injuries and was disfigured.

Jewellery

The youth stole all her jewellery and fled the scene. On the same day when another teacher was on her way to school she had seen Siriwadeni's body and the motorcycle fallen by the wayside. She rushed to the Sampur police and lodged a complaint about the incident.

OIC of the Sampur police IP D.P. Ramanayaka and a police team rushed to the scene and recorded the incident.After a few weeks the Sampur police received a tip off from a person who did not identify himself.

He said the main suspect was hiding in a hut in the jungle. OIC Ramanayaka and police officers rushed to the hut and apprehended the main suspect and his accomplices.

When the police reached the hut the suspect had attempted to throw a hand grenade in the direction of the police, but the police apprehended the suspect.

They located all Siriwadeni's jewellery as the suspect had spilled the beans under interrogation. The other three suspects were also arrested.