Speed devils take a toll of lives

by Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Six bodies lie in a row in coffins in the compound of a tiny house in a village in Veherabenda, a small colony in the Kurunegala district as hundreds of people gathered for the mass burial on June 29.The rosy faced tiny bodies of Malsha and Pasindu laid among the six bodies, drew tears in the eyes of those attended the mass funeral.

People came in their thousands to pay their last respect to the six victims who died in a road mishap that shocked the country last Sunday morning.

But, there was no close family members at least to greet those who attended the funeral. The seventy year old Agnes and her children, grand children and close relatives, after their long journey on the Poson weekend, could not return home safely.

Just 15 kilometres to their home, after their pilgrimage to Jaffna and Nagadeepa the cruel destiny took the toll of their lives of six people when their van collided with a lorry plying towards Batticaloa. .Even those who were fortunate enough to survive from the tragidy could not be presenst at the 'Pansakoola' as they were in serious condition in hospital.

Therefore, their neighbours in Veherabenda village, distante relatives, philanthropists and politicians took charge of the funeral arrangements, as there were no close relatives..

The 70-year-old M.D. Agnes, her 23 year old son Thilak Susantha, his wife Indrani Kumari (22) along with their four year old only son Malsha Mihindu, brother-in-law of Thilak, Kapila Pradeep Kumara along with his six year old son Pasindu Dilshan had to breath their last just 15 kilometers to their home at Deduru Oya bridge in Kurunegala.

May be their trip to Jaffna and Nagadeepa on the Poson weekend was a tiring, but should it be such a exhausting one to take the lives of six people from the same family at once? But no one could answer those question until the judicial inquiries into the deaths are over. But the wreckage of the Toyota, Lite Ace high roof van, on which they travelled could give the answer to all those questions.

They had not made a sin by going on a trip to Nagadeepa like any other citizen of the country. What they all, from the same family lived in different houses closeby, did was to collect some money through a 'seettuva' (collecting specific amount of money from a group of people) for a specific period) to make their journey to Nagadeepa a reality.

After, collecting the required amount of money they selected the van to accommodate all. But the Lite-ace van they hired could accommodate only 10 people. Altogether there were 11 adults and five children and two eight months old infants.

Their intention to go together and their economic constraint prevented them from finding another vehicle that could easily accommodate them all.

Their neighbours helped them to arrange things for their journey, but recalled the way Indrani was saying that they were going to Jaffna not to return home and the way she kept her wedding photo safely inside the house prior to leaving their home. But she would not have thought what she predicted would actually happen.

They all left their village Veherabanda colony around 10.30 am and made their way to Jaffna around 11 pm after visiting places in Anuradhapura on the Poson Poya Day.

Like any other pilgrims visiting Jaffna they too had to face the same problem of finding a shelter to rest. Therefore, they had decided to spend the night in a way side temporary shelter and wake up early morning to visit Nagadeepa. They only had few hours to sleep and left to Nagadeepa to be among the first in the queue to visit and worship Nagadeepa.

On their return journey they visited few places in Jaffna, Kilinochchi and arrived at Vavuniya around 9 p.m. The van stopped at a petrol shed at Ibbagamuwafor fuelling and made their way to Kurunegala.

The driver Ranjith can only remember passing Deduru Oya bridge on Kurunegala Dambulla Road. All those who were inside were fast asleep and all what they now know is that their van had collided with a container truck plying towards Batticaloa reducing their van to wreckage.

Those who rushed to the scene rescued who were trapped inside the wreckage which was reduced to shambles.. They were rushed to Kurunegala hospital and later to Kandy General Hospital and Colombo National Hospital.

An eight month old baby is now under medication at the Lady Ridgeway hospital. Those who survived had fractures in their bodies.

The driver and a few others are still undergoing treatment at the Kurunegala Hospital when Maha Sangha, the close relatives of Ranjith's family and neighbours made arrangements to have a mass burial forthe dead.

The Adhikarana Sanghanayaka of Wayamba Disava, Ven. Rekava Jinarathana Thera in his 'Aanusasana' said that it is one of the most shocking accidents in the recent past.The venerable Nayaka Thera also called upon the authorities to take action against reckless and drunken drivers. The neighbours carried the six coffins to Malpitiya cemetery seven kilometres away from the funeral houseThe Kurunegala Police Traffic Branch under Traffic OIC IP Kirinde is conducting further investigations into the incident.

Police statistics, reveal that 202 deaths have been already reported within the first quarter of this year, 170 deaths due to speeding and 32 accidents due to reckless driving after taking liquor. The number of deaths due to road accidents has easily surpassed the number of accidents in the last year.