Fox Hill racing event tragedy leaves seven dead and dozens injured in Diyatalawa

• The accident had occurred when the car veered off the race track due to the driver losing control 

By Sheain Fernandopulle, Prasad Rukmal & P. D. De Silva  
The Fox Hill Super Cross 2024 racing event, held in  Diyatalawa, turned tragic yesterday (21) as a race car veered off the  track, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, including an  8-year-old child, and leaving 21 others hospitalized with injuries.  
Police Media Spokesperson DIG Nihal Thalduwa stated that  the accident occurred when the race car lost control and collided with a  group of spectators.  

 The injured were rushed to the Diyatalawa Base Hospital.  
According to hospital sources, the condition of some of the injured is critical.  
Bandarawela Acting Magistrate Seneviratne Weerasinghe  conducted the magisterial examination of the seven people who died in  the car accident at the Diyatalawa Base Hospital last afternoon (21).  
He went to the scene of the accident, recorded the  observations, and then conducted the magisterial examination by  examining the dead bodies in the Diyatalawa Hospital.  
The Acting Magistrate ordered the police to perform the  autopsy of the bodies by the Forensic Medical Officer of Diyatalawa  Hospital and submit the medical reports to the court.  
The 28th edition of the Fox Hill Super Cross, organized by  the Sri Lanka Military Academy Diyatalawa in collaboration with Sri  Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS), commenced in Diyatalawa on Sunday, April  21.  
The list of those who died in the Diyatalawa Fox Hill car accident is as follows:   
1. R. Abeynayaka: Army soldier (Embilipitiya)  
2. Ganesh Jayawardana (Matara)  
3. Aruna Shantha Upali Gamage (Matara)  
4. Ashen Hinatigala (Matara)  
5. Udayakumara (Dayrabaa Junction, Mirahawatta)  
6. Dhanushika, 8 years old (Dayrabaa Junction, Mirahawatta)  
7. Chaminda Niroshan, 19 years old (Seeduwa)