Artiste's wife among three killed in truck-car clash

Kapila Somarathne, Panadura Group Corr.

PANADURA: Three persons were killed and two injured by a speeding truck on the New Galle Road at Egodauyana, Moratuwa yesterday, Moratuwa police said. The truck crashed into a car heading to Mirissa in Galle killing Geetha Kanthi Galappaththi, 57, a social worker and the wife of artiste Buddhadasa Galapaththi and driver of the car D. Gunadasa who were to participate in a tsunami commemoration ceremony.

Truck lorry assistant Janaka Sampath, 22, was also killed and two others were injured. Injured were admitted to the Panadura Base Hospital and the truck driver was arrested. The Panadura Inquirer into Sudden Deaths D. W. Adikaram held the inquests and recorded separate verdict of accidental deaths caused by an accident.

The Inquirer directed the Moratuwa Police Traffic Branch to produce the truck driver before court with a "B" report. Moratuwa police are investigating.