Whose rovers are these?

Luxury cars and exorbitant lifestyles are a politician’s favourite. Convoys of politicians are nothing new to Sri Lankans. Although they have given much entertainment to their ‘voters’ the damage they have caused is humungous.


Among these vehicles, Land Rover Defenders take prominence as they are widely used as escort vehicles widely. Yet recently, while on an entertaining ride to beat the other, one such Defender went off-track, knocking off two innocent children who are now in a critical condition and caused damage to public resources. Following this incident the  spoke to various people about this disastrous ‘defender-show’.


Fate has not been very merciful in the lives of Sachin Prabash and Manushi Kavindya, who met with a tragic mishap after a Land Rover Defender ploughed into them at the Kalapaluwawa Junction in Rajagiriya on Tuesday.


Heading at high speed in the direction of Koswatte, the Land Rover Defender went crashing into a bus halt, injuring two victims after its collision with a tipper.


Manushi Kavindya (17), a student of Yasodara Girls’ School is the second in the family and lives in Kalapaluwawa with her parents and two siblings.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, brother of Kavindya, Lochana Vimukthi said that his sister and Sachin Prabash were currently undergoing treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.


He said that “there were two Land Rovers and as one overtook the other, one defender collided with the tipper and ploughed into the two victims standing at the bus halt.


“I heard my sister crying for help as we approached the scene,” he said.


The boy was unconscious when taken to the Thalangama Hospital in a Police vehicle and my sister was also immediately taken to the hospital in a three-wheeler as they were both in a very bad condition,” he said. “Sachin is currently undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and my sister’s leg was operated on today after they were both transferred to the Colombo General Hospital,” he said.


She has suffered a lot of internal bleeding. We have lodged a complaint to the Police regarding this accident.”


Mother of Sachin Prabash (18), Princi de Silva said that her son is a bright student at the Mahanama College.


When inquired about the accident and the current health condition of her son Mrs. Silva said that Sachin was still in the ICU and was undergoing his third surgery.


Mrs. Silva works as an Assistant Manager at a leading company and a resident at Himbutana.


She said that “the two children had got off the bus and were waiting to cross the road. The children had not even moved one step forward as they were waiting for the road to clear.


“The doctors say that even if my son survives there is a high possibility that he might suffer from permanent memory loss.


“He is the eldest in our family and he has a younger brother. Now he is in a very critical condition. I am sorry to hear that the girl is also injured very badly. The doctors did a surgery on her leg and she suffered a lot of internal bleeding as well.”


Residents were of the view that the driver was under the influence of liquor, while driving as they recounted the disastrous accident that reduced the bus halt to debris, injured two innocent victims and the damage to the tipper.


They said that the driver was rushed to the Colombo General Hospital in the Defender that was racing with the Land Rover that was damaged. Noelin Sooriya Arachchi who owns an eatery opposite the bus halt said that she was inside the house when the accident took place.


“I was having my lunch when I heard a noise similar to a bomb explosion right in front of my house. When I came out I saw the girl and boy in the bus halt sprawled on the ground bleeding profusely.


Adding to what the above witness had to say H. K. Asanka, who is employed as a Production Supervisor, said that he too heard a crash.


“I ran down the lane to the place where the accident took place and it was indeed a sad sight. I saw the girl and boy kneeling down in an attempt to protect them from the imminent danger although it was too late for any precautions.


“She was bleeding from the head and the boy was drenched in blood and he was unconscious.


“They were all taken to the nearest hospital with all possible haste,” Mr. Asanka added. (Kamanthi Wicramasinghe and Sarah Muiz)