A friend turns fiend

by Ananda AGALAKADA and P. Maddumage- Mawarala Group Corr.

What is the criterion on deciding who a good friend is? or which one is bad? Who can really tell how deep a friendship runs with another human being? How can one distinguish a friend from a good friend?

Isuru Sampath	P. Gunadasa

A tragic tale reported from a remote village is exactly how a friend turned fiend and how an innocent youth’s life was lost due to a petty theft.

Fifteen-year-old Isuru Sampath of Uswatta, Ginnaliya, Urubokka fell victim to his closest friend Sirikumara. The duo, Isuru and Sirikumara, both good friends lived in the same village. They often tried to maintain their camaraderie.

P. Gunadasa is the father of Isuru Sampath. When Isuru was one and a half years his mentally imbalanced mother Gunawathi Devanarayana had left their house abandoning her husband and son. Although Gunawathi left them due to insanity, Gunadasa was determined to foster his only child. He was a carpenter by profession.

When he was sawing a piece of wood he would always dream about his son Isuru and his future. Gunadasa never knelt down before poverty and impecuniosities. He converted poverty into a sharp weapon and strove to live with his son, looking after him.

Gunadasa tried to give a good education to his son and he helped Isuru Sampath to study in four schools. Alakoladeniya Vidyalaya, Ginnaliya Vidyalaya, Kolonna National School and Dorapana Maha Vidyalaya. But unfortunately Isuru Sampath could not study beyond Grade 10.

Although, Gunadasa’s expectations were tarnished and he was frustrated due to the interruption that his son had to undergo in his education, he did not give up hope nor get discouraged about their future. Isuru Sampath was sent for employment by Gunadasa. As a result of Gunadasa’s decision, Isuru had to work in Wimaladasa Mudalali’s grocery which was in Ginnaliya, Urubokka.

Sixteen-year-old Madurachchige Sirikumara was a close friend of Isuru Sampath. Sirikumara too came from a broken family background. His mother also had separated from his father.

According to neighbours, events had taken a dramatic turn when Sirikumara has stolen a water-motor from a neighbour’s house and sold it to someone. Sirikumara’s good friend Isuru had known about the fishy deal. Sirikumara fearing that Isuru might spill the beans had given five hundred rupees to Isuru Sampath with the promise that he would keep silent about the theft. However Isuru Sampath had revealed the theft to his friends merely as a joke.

On November 6, there had been some quarrel in the premises of the temple in Ginnaliya. A Katina Pinkama was held in the temple premises that day.

After a few days Sirikumara had come to meet Isuru Sampath at his working place. When Sirikumara called for Isuru he had gone towards Sirikumara. Within a few minutes Sirikumara had rushed back while Isuru lay on the floor in front of the grocery.

Another employee of the grocery who witnessed the episode, realised that something bad had happened between Isuru and Sirikumara. The employee saw blood pouring from Isuru’s body. He rushed Isuru Sampath to the hospital in Heegoda, Urubokka with the assistance of grocery owner and Isuru’s father. The doctors at the Heegoda hospital pronounced Isuru Sampath’s dead on arrival to hospital.

The medical officer in Heegoda hospital Bandu Thilak conducting the post-mortem said death had been caused by an injury made with a sharp instrument. The left lung had got pierced and the deceased had died due to internal haemorrhage.

Madurachchige Sirikumara was arrested with a five inch pointed knife which he allegedly used in the stabbing. He was arrested and produced before the Urubokka magistrate’s Court by Urubokka police SI Vijithananda under the instructions of SSP Deshabandu Tennakoon and ASP R.G.A.B. Gunathilaka in Matara police division.

Isuru Sampth would never return to his father Gunadasa. But Sirikumara may some day come to his father after serving the sentence if found guilty.