Senior lecturer dies in fatal accident at Meerigama

19 March 2025 03:59 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 14 Bookmark

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By Pushpakumarta Mallwarachchi

Colombo, March 19 (Daily Mirror) - A lecturer from Kelaniya University died, and six others, including his wife and children, were seriously injured in a fatal accident at Boyawalana on the Central Expressway last night.

The victim, Dr. N.D. Gunendra Gayantha (45), was a senior lecturer at Kelaniya University and a resident of Makola South.

The injured were admitted to Meerigama Base Hospital. Four of them, in critical condition, were transferred to the Colombo National Hospital, while another was taken to Watupitiwala Base Hospital.

Investigations revealed that they were on their way back from a visit to Jaffna when their van collided with the rear of a preceding lorry. A group of Sri Lankan expatriates from England, who were traveling from Kurunegala to Meerigama in a passing vehicle, rushed to the scene and helped transport the injured to Meerigama Base Hospital. However, Dr. Gayantha was pronounced dead upon arrival.

The lorry and the van involved in the accident were brought to Meerigama Police Station this morning.

Comments - 14

Rukman Perera Wednesday, 19 March 2025 04:57 PM

So it appears that the van hit the lorry from behind. The lorry may have been either Stationery or being driven at slower than normal speed probably without proper tail lights. Since it is night , the van driver would not have seen the slow or Stationery lorry. At tge end, valuable lives lost. What if three wheelers and bikers are allowed into the highways. Then you may need to build hospitals with accident wards every 5 kilometres on the side.

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Nihal S Wednesday, 19 March 2025 07:44 PM

Very sad news. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. RIP the lecturer.

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Danny Wednesday, 19 March 2025 10:51 PM

First, build vehicle parking spots every 4 or 5 miles on the high ways for the drivers to rest. They park on the road itself and speeding vehicles hit them.

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Concerned Citizen Thursday, 20 March 2025 06:17 AM

It is ridiculous that lorries and trucks with a maximum speed of 40 km/h is allowed to travel on our expressways. Driving significantly slower than the posted speed limit is as dangerous as exceeding the speed limit. It's not the first time this has happened on our expressways. How many more fatalities need to happen before authorities realise this is extremely dangerous? Anyone travelling slower than 80 km/h should be fined as it's as dangerous as doing 120 km/h.

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Prabhath Thursday, 20 March 2025 07:54 AM

There can be a number of reasons. Driver fatigue, driving too close to the vehicle ahead, absence of taillights and/or brake lights in the lorry, illegally stopping the lorry on the highway. All of those are avoidable things and we don't need them until tragedy strikes. What a loss! May he attain nibbana!

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Too many road accidents. Do something! Thursday, 20 March 2025 09:16 AM

Too much of reckless driving in Sri Lanka. Why can't the police enforce speed limits.

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Lalith Wickremasinghe Thursday, 20 March 2025 10:13 AM

Far too many accidents occurring on Sri Lankan roads, way too often, with many innocent lives hurt or lost. Nearly always, due to errant, callous, senseless, selfish driving by idiots behind the wheel sometimes impacted by alcohol and drugs. A massive island wide driver and public awareness campaign is warranted. A 'no mercy' police action, along with the Ministry of Transportation under the watch of the PRESIDENT is needed for apprehending these highway offenders en mass and prosecuted, jailed, licenses suspended or canceled altogether. Enough is Enough! To this young professor and his family, my heartfelt condolences, and to all souls that perished on Sri Lankan roads, both local and foreign, May You RIP !

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Roshanaly Thursday, 20 March 2025 10:31 AM

Very high impact , the lorry driver would have stopped suddenly or reduce the speed at once.

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Change for the better Friday, 21 March 2025 07:51 AM

People don't know how to drive let alone drive on highways. Though highways were built they are not properly managed as it is still a fairly new concept for Sri Lanka. Why not take a look at western nations and copy their applicable traffic laws, speed limits, rest areas, set up traffic police on highways etc.? After all, copying is what 'we' do best, no?

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Kumar Saturday, 22 March 2025 12:49 AM

As earlier commented the police are spending time and harassing for minor offences. We must get to the real reasons and act, without showing film. Why don't you have a web page where accidents are displayed and causes analysed.

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Premalal Perera Saturday, 22 March 2025 07:51 AM

Only in Sri Lanka that such narrow stretches of road is called an express way. In other nations this type of road is at best be called a dual carriage way.

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Ivan Kumar Saturday, 22 March 2025 09:15 PM

We do not know the actual cause of the accident. My experience travelling long distance in Sri Lanka seems to point towards driver fatigue as the most likely reason. These drivers are sometimes pressured to get back, possibly the same day, or 'cos of the urgency to complete the trip. A similar occurrence happened years ago when a party left Colombo for Batticaloa and attempted to return the same night. A second likely contributary factor is poor driving skills and road manners. Speeding and reckless overtaking in Sri Lanka is commonplace and considered a symbol of 'manliness.' Eg. bus and van drivers. Drivers should be trained to adopt defensive driving skills.

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Mrs fuckett Tuesday, 25 March 2025 06:38 PM

the colombo negombo luxuary bus the conductor gives the driver ICE before he start the engine

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Born Thinker Wednesday, 26 March 2025 01:58 PM

News alerts from time to time can only speak about the number of deaths. But what about the number of calls made to emergency services? How long did it take for help to arrive? How many ambulances did the hospital have, and were they enough? How much paperwork had to be done before a patient could even be transferred? And on the road, how many vehicles actually stopped to help? We lost our dear friend, our brother, his sister and her husband. A whole family is suffering, and nothing can undo their pain. As Sri Lankans, we have a long way to go…

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