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SL mother killed in hit and run in London

28 February 2015 04:36 am - 15     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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A mother-of-two who died in a hit and run crash fled Sri Lanka’s civil war eight years ago and had only recently been reunited with her husband and daughter in London.

Subahari Sothilingam, 44, was struck by a silver C-class Mercedes outside her home in Hendon on her way to work at 6am yesterday.

She suffered multiple head injuries and died in hospital shortly afterwards.

Mrs Sothilingam, a caterer, moved to London in 2006 at the height of the Government clampdown against Tamils in her island homeland.

Her husband Sothilingam Selathurai stayed behind while their two children completed their education.

Mr Selathurai, 44, and their daughter Hamsana, 18, came to the capital in October. Their son Vasanth, 22, is still in Sri Lanka finishing his computer science studies.

The car was on the stretch of the A5 in West Hendon when it hit Mrs Sothilingam as she crossed the busy road to catch a bus to Royal Park.

The car did not stop and drove off towards Edgware Road and the North Circular.


Her husband, who does not speak English, told the Standard today of his family’s devastation.

Speaking through a relative, he said: “There is nothing that can be done now, it’s all finished. I left her for eight years when she came to England and joined her five months ago.

“It was always her dream for us to all be together.”

The couple met in 1992 while still at school in Hatton, in southern Sri Lanka, and was together for 14 years before Mrs Sothilingam travelled to the UK to join relatives in London.

Her husband added: “We were together from school, she was my sweetheart. It was a very loving marriage. Even for eight years we were apart, we were in love.”

Her niece Paarkavi Jegatheeswaran, 21, said: “My aunt was a family-orientated person and she was very talkative. She was very popular and well-liked.
“We are a close family and she was always checking on us to make sure we were okay. She was always happiest surrounded by her family.

“She was on the way to work when she was hit. It’s the same route she’s taken every working day for the last few years. It was completely normal for her to go to work at that time and has made the journey so many times.”

Neighbours in Hendon West Broadway said the road was closed for several hours. Debris from the front of the car was found lying in the road several hundred yards away by investigators.

A man in his forties, who would not be named, said: “The lady was lying in the road and then the ambulance turned up soon afterwards. I counted 10 police cars.”

Police today appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Detective Sergeant Stephen Pidgeon said: “There were a number of people who may have witnessed the events in the lead up to the collision or the actual collision itself. If anyone does have any information I urge them to come forward and help us with our investigation.”

A 26-year-old man handed himself in to police last night and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous by driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident. He was bailed until April. (London Evening Standard)

 

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  Comments - 15

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  • saman Saturday, 28 February 2015 11:03 AM

    """.....Government clampdown against Tamils in2006"???? what?

    OMG Saturday, 28 February 2015 12:19 PM

    It looks an LTTEer has written this piece. First, the war was NOT against Tamils. Even at the height of the war Tamils were doing good business in Colombo and elsewhere. Second, these people are apparently from Hatton, and there was no war in Hatton to run away from. May be this is how fate throws back at them for their dishonesty, and ungratefulness.

    pras Saturday, 28 February 2015 12:22 PM

    if her family stayed behind there was no threat. all economic refugees in guises of war. dont lie even God does not agree. anyway sad end. via DM Android App

    ranga Saturday, 28 February 2015 12:31 PM

    Did we ever have a government clampdown against Tamils here in Sri Lanka? What are these jokers writing...

    Bobby Saturday, 28 February 2015 01:18 PM

    Hey London Evening Standard, Stop reporting bloody nonsense. Sri Lankan government never had any clamp down against Tamils. It was against the LTTE terrorists. Same like the clamp down you are having on Muslim terrorists. The difference is Sri Lanka managed to finish it decisively. But you people in the West headed by the UK and the US are pathetically failing. We definitely sympathize with this unfortunate family but they are economic migrants from the South or rather the Central Sri Lanka . Not even from the conflict zone which was the North.

    Aba Jayasekera Saturday, 28 February 2015 01:28 PM

    There was no crackdown on Tamils as Tamils. But that is what the tell the gullible British people in order to emigrate and live a cushy life there !

    Cheers Saturday, 28 February 2015 01:45 PM

    What clamp down on Tamils this is lie for them to illegally stay in western countries and not genuine at all. But does the Brits know about adele balasingham who lives in UK who trained Tamil tiger female cadres more school children to die by eating the cyanide capsule and she has still not been punished for this crime but lives in UK I thought you have good governance and democracy

    Karnan Saturday, 28 February 2015 02:05 PM

    Truth hurts? idiots , you guys better accept the truth and be good . LTTE is still haunting you ? why you guys drag LTTE name when anyone talks about ordinary tamils? doesnt it proves that Tamills are LTTE

    Freebird Saturday, 28 February 2015 02:35 PM

    Truth is coming out from all corners via DM Android App

    Bala Saturday, 28 February 2015 03:24 PM

    Hope our UK embassy will give correction with true picture in a rebuttal to the newspaper. It is the job of our P ress Officer there - otherwise our taxpayer money wasted while Press Officer has a good time

    Sherri Edwards Saturday, 28 February 2015 03:56 PM

    Well said! There are so many economic migrants in the UK and other countries.

    Nims Sunday, 01 March 2015 03:33 AM

    My heartfelt condolences to the family. But how can a son still study in Sri Lanka. Discrimination against Tamils???

    Ordinary Man Sunday, 01 March 2015 10:55 AM

    Deepest Sympathies to the family. Wow prettty disappointed by all those comments. Nobody seems to be worried about the husband you lost his wife and kids who lost their mother.

    Rattapakse Sunday, 01 March 2015 03:53 PM

    Thank you both Nims and Ordinary Man.What kind of mentality you have to talk nothing but rubbish when a co-citizen lost her life in a foreign country after reuniting with the family after a long spell.

    dd Sunday, 01 March 2015 05:00 PM

    Pathetic to read the comments from our screwed up society. Pls be empathise towards the family rather than arguing at silly thing. When u guys are going to have an open minded?


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