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| Friday, 28 January 2005 |
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Train survivor files FR application by Wasantha Ramanayake Tsunami train victim filed a Fundamental Rights application in the Supreme Court against alleged "callous" inaction of the Police Emergency Unit, Airforce and Meetiyagoda Police to rescue his relatives from the ill-fated express train in Telwatte on the Boxing day. Petitioner U. L. Priyantha Jayasiri Perera, a journalist of a private electronic media organisation alleged that although the Police Emergency assured him to rescue the passengers including his wife, mother, and mother-in-law, who had been stranded in the train after it was hit by the wave, they were left to perish without any help. Petitioner stated that the body of his wife was found only after two days. The body of the mother-in-law was never found. He stated that his mother was saved. The petitioner stated that they got into the train at the Panadura Station to travel to Matara. The train came to a sudden halt near Peraliya around 9.30 in the morning after it passed the Telwatte station. In two or three minutes a wave hit the train and soon the area was about six feet under water. He stated that he was successful in contacting the Police Emergency Unit at 9.54 a.m. The officer having noted petitioner's name and the location of the incident promised him assistance. He stated that he had also contacted the Red Cross. He stated just after 36 minutes after the first call, a giant wave about of 20 feet in height washed away the train. The petitioner stated that many lives including his relatives could have been saved if the Police Emergency Unit had conveyed the message to the fourth respondent the Air Force Commander. He stated that UNP MP Bandula Gunawardane had been rescued by the Air Force only at short notice. He also stated that the OIC of the Meetiyagoda Police and the Commanding Officer of the Koggala Air Base also had jointly violated the rights of the petitioner and his relatives since they had failed to help them. Petitioner cited ASP Police Emergency, Law and Public Security Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake, The President of the Red Cross, Commander of the Air Force, Commanding Officer of the Air Base Koggala, Railway General Manager Priyal de Silva, Transport Minister Felix Perera, OIC of the Meetiyagoda Police, IGP, Attorney General, Director, Geological Surveys and Mines Bureau, Science and Technological Minister Tissa Vitharana as respondents. The petitioner sought a suitable compensation. |
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