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Road tragedy sparks violence

by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi

There was mayhem in Mattumagala as angry mobs went on the rampage setting fire to buses and stoning vehicles after two schoolchildren were run over and killed by a peoplised transport bus at a pedestrian crossing on the Colombo-Negombo Road in the Kandana area yesterday morning. Both victims died on the spot.

The bus was bound for Raddolugama from Colombo.

The Army and Navy were called in to quell the riotous mob after Police summoned from all stations in the vicinity failed to bring the situation under control. According to reports, tear gas had to be fired as the mob turned increasingly violent venting their rage on anything and anybody including journalists who arrived at the scene.

Following the incident, traffic along the Colombo-Negombo road came to a grinding halt for several hours. According to reports, dozens of buses were set on fire by the rampaging mob who took the law unto their hands.

Police said, the incident occurred around 7.30 a.m. when the victims - two schoolgirls aged 17 and 13 were crossing the road at the pedestrian crossing on the main Negombo road in front of their school - Karunaratne Maha Vidyalaya, Mattumagala around two miles from Kandana.

Following the incident, a section of the Negombo road from Mahabage junction to Wattala was closed for traffic and vehicles heading for Negombo were diverted to the Kandy Road - Balummahara and Gampaha. Additional police officers, the Army and Navy were also deployed to control the situation.

Kandana police said both the driver and his assistant are now in custody while other reports stated that the driver was beaten up by the mob.

However, ASP Jagath Abeysirigunawardena said the situation was brought under control within a few hours and traffic was moving as usual.

The dead students are Harshani Gunasekera (17) and Amalka Mihirani (13).

They were studying in year 13 and year 8 respectively. One was a prefect.

Several police officers had been at the scene during the tragedy. Eye witnesses said the bus had not slowed down even when it reached the pedestrian crossing and continued even after knocking down the two students.

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