Carelessness and excitement cause Dehiwala railway tragedy

by Husna Inayathullah

Carelessness, excitement and poor timing, not head-phones or foul play killed two students of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya, who were run over by a train while crossing the railway track in Dehiwala on Monday April 25, according to the coroner's report released by the police.

"The girls were hurrying across the tracks to the restaurant where a party was being held around 7.30 pm, to get there before a friend reached the venue," Police Media Spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara told a press conference on Friday.

The victims, Sharon Schuiling and Imeshi Yasara, were run over by a train and died on the spot.

Gunasekara apologised for an earlier statement, where he claimed the girls had earphones on when the accident took place.

CCTV footage released showed the two girls running right into the path of an express train, heading from Colombo Fort to Kalutara South.

Coroner Palinda Kotugoda returned a verdict of accidental death and said it was a "Sudden accidental death, caused by carelessness and excitement."

The girls succumbed to multiple injuries to the head and chest. According to the train driver, he had only seen the two girls at the last moment, at a distance of 12 feet, and there was nothing he could do to stop the train. "It was too late," he said.

The security officer of the restaurant, an eye witness to the incident said the two girls had been warned when crossing the tracks but had heedlessly dashed ahead.

However, prior to this incident there were no warning boards or lights in the vicinity of the crossing, though now the restaurant has installed a warning sign and lit up the area. A guard has also been kept to assist guests to to the restaurant to cross the track.

According to the Operating Superintendent of Railways, Colombo Division, V.S. Polwattage, it was a rule that people cannot cross the railway tracks."Even Railway Officials have to seek permission from the Railway authorities, if they are to cross the rail track for work. These two girls went against the general rule," he said.

However, the southern railway track runs along the coast for hundreds of kilometres, with many hotels and restaurants close to the tracks. Popular resorts in Bentota and Beruwala too have restaurants close to the track.

Initially it was thought the victims were wearing headphones and had not heard the sound of the approaching train. DIG Amarasiri Senaratne, Traffic Division, Sri Lanka Police said careless road use and distracted pedestrians, remained a major cause of accidents, today.

"Today, youth are distracted and are careless on the roads. They have various electronic gadgets such as headphones and speak on mobile phones when crossing the road.

The traffic division of the police conducts awareness programs annually to around 400,000 children islandwide. When children leave school, they do not adhere to what is taught to them regarding safety and road use while in school. If they do, many accidents could be averted," he said.