No birthday wishes, only daughters' cards for Ratmalana bomb victim

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

MOUNT LAVINIA: It was a double tragedy for little Avishka and Thanushki who not only had to bear the anguish of their father's death, but also forced to endure the ordeal to see his funeral being held on his birthday.

Those who visited Roshan Bandara Herat's house were moved to tears at the sight of his two daughters aged five and seven who seemed loath to leave the side of their father's coffin placed in the living room of their home in Mount Lavinia.

Roshan was one of the eight killed in the brutal claymore attack by the LTTE targeting civilians during the home bound rush hour of office workers at Belek Kade junction, Ratmalana last Monday.

His wife Anusha, injured in the blast, is lying at the Kalubowila Hospital leaving the two little girls in relatives hands. "My father loves me and Akki very much. He accompanied us to school daily. He promised to bring me a drawing book," said a sobbing Avishka.

Thanushki said her mother was brought home to view their father's corpse by some "uncles from the Navy."

She said it was her mother's desire to get the last glimpse of her father's corpse even against the doctor's advice. She was conveyed from hospital in a wheel chair.

"Dear father you are not alive to say Happy Birthday to you. But we wish you happy birthday to you," read a birth greeting card placed beside the coffin.

Roshan who was a father of two girls was travelling in his car with his wife to Moratuwa to buy timber for the house which is being built when the blast occurred. They were taken to the hospital with serious injuries by police and civilians. But Roshan succumbed to his injuries upon admission to the hospital. "Roshan is a kind hearted person and a real gentleman.

Moreover he nor his family have no connection with the North and East crisis. But he had to pay with his life for something he has no connection with. In the end, his two little daughters lost their loving father and wife lost her husband, " a close relative to Roshan lamented.