Another tragic accident kills schoolgirl

By Pushpakumara Mallawarachchi

A 17-year-old schoolgirl died yesterday (23) after sustaining serious injuries in a road accident near Mirigama National School on the Pasyala–Giriulla Road, Mirigama Police said.   

The deceased, Krishani Shanaya, a resident of Nittambuwa, Navagamuwa, was studying in the Advanced Level class at Mirigama D. S. Senanayake National School.   

According to police, Krishani had got on to a motor bike after school which had taken a U-turn towards Pasyala when a lorry loaded with gas cylinders had knocked it down.      

The impact caused Krishani to fall and become trapped under one of the wheels of  the gas transport vehicle. The motorcyclist, a young man, survived the incident, while Krishani succumbed to her injuries upon being admitted to Mirigama Base Hospital.   

Sri Lanka has witnessed a concerning rise in road accidents involving school-going children in recent years. In 2023 alone, at least 115 schoolchildren lost their lives in such incidents, with many attributed to reckless driving and inadequate road safety measures.