20 June 2019 12:02 am
By Chaturanga Samarawickrama and K.G. Karunaratne
Five persons including four women were killed while another twelve sustained injuries in a fatal accident involving a van and a tractor at Welikanda on the Batticaloa-Polonnaruwa Road in the early hours of yesterday, Police said.
They said the accident occurred at 1.45 am near the 89th-km post at Kolakanawadiya, Maradankadawala in Welikanda.
The tractor was travelling from Manampitiya to Welikanda carrying 17 people, while the van was also following on the same direction rammed into the tractor. The accident took place while the van was attempting to overtake the tractor.
Following the accident, five people, including four women were killed and 12 others, including five males, five females, a girl and a boy were injured. The injured were admitted to the Polonnaruwa hospital.
The deceased was identified as Edirisinghe Arachchilage Pushpakuma (32), B.M.Anoma Kumari (38) R.G.A. Sanjeewani (30) and R.G.A. Sakunthala (32) all were residents of Welikanda and W.A. Sepalika was from Diulankadawala.