|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Monday, 25 October 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Features | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Tragedy fell heavily upon mother of two at Riyadh by Susil Ratnaweera, Panadura North Gr. Corr. Nobody thought that they are abandoning their loved ones when they said farewell before they left for Riyadh in search of a brighter day. Fate couldn't have played a severe trick on them, depicting how fickle life is and how little is needed to ruin or save. This tragedy fell heavily upon a mother of two who left for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia three years ago to find greener pastures for her family who were not well off living in their home located in No. 10/1, Susantha Mawatha, Panadura.
Twenty-nine-year Thilakshi Priyadharshani had not the slightest knowledge that fate would crush her simple hopes as she went to work as a cleaner in a hospital in Riyadh. The fateful day dawned. After a completion of three years work at the hospital, Thilakshi along with forty others travelled in a bus to their destination, the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh only to meet her doom along with four other Sri Lankan women. The bus suddenly crashed on an oil tanker and the coach collided bringing death to Thilakshi and three more Sri Lankan women. The dead included Thilakshi Priyadharshani, Anula Neela Kanthi, Anushika Dilrukshi and Preethika.
Nishani Rangika, the youngest sister of the deceased Thilakshi has also been working as a cleaner in the 'Najran Hospital'. She too has severely been injured in the eyes and has undergone operation. It is reported that the journey to King Khalid International Airport takes about 12 hours and that the passengers within had only the luck of travelling only for 7 hours. As I visited their humble home, it is clearly and cruelly shown from the depression in the faces of the ten-year-old daughter Rameshika Hashani and five-year-old Rasinda Hashan. The sparkling innocence of their eager eyes which awaited for their mother's arrival with treasures for them have been cruely replaced with tears which flows continuously. Y. Princy Peiris (51) the mother of Thilakshi wailed and worded her sad plight in this way to me. "My poor child, Thilakshi had eagerly hoped to get a plot of land to call her own and to live with her husband and two children peacefully. I have three daughters and two of them are married. The deceased Thilakshi is my second daughter. She studied up to her GCE Advanced Level and did well at the Methodist High School, Moratumulla. My youngest daughter Nishani Rangika and my sister's daughter Dharshanee Priyanka accompanied my Thilakshi when they left Sri Lanka for Riyadh on November 4, 2001. It is said that Dharshanee is not injured, she said heaving a sigh of relief for the small favour granted. "On October 10, 2004 my daughter Thilakshi phoned me. She said that she had bought toys worth Rupees 15,000 for her children. That was the last thing she ever said to me," she says pausing now and then trying to control her grief. Sugath Luxman Fernando (32), Thilakshi's husband is a carpenter by profession. They entered into marriage on May 5, 1993 and their only hope was to live happily and peacefully raising their two kids. Daughter Rameshika is attending school at 'Our Lady Victory Lord', Moratuwa and is in Grade 5, while Rasinda attends a pre-school. My poor child's hopes are shattered, all shattered. I should find a way of bringing up these two children now. I have only being left with my child's body. I do want to see my child badly, laments the weeping mother of Thilakshi trying to silence her overflowing tears as tears welled in the eyes of the onlookers until there was not one dry eye to be found amongst us. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
