Two school girls and driver killed in accident

By Dinesh Upendra   

In a fatal accident last morning near Pallewela in Kuliyapitiya two schoolgirls and the driver of a van died on the spot and 14 others, were seriously injured when the van collided head on with a tipper lorry transporting sand.   

The van was transporting a group of schoolchildren from Dummalasuriya to the schools in Kuliyapitiya town.when it met with accident.   

The deceased Mihindi Yenaya Nilnethu(13) and Rishini Netupema Kularatne (12) were students of Suradutha Girls’ School. and the driver Denis Nilantha Atukorala (67)   

The injured were admitted to Kuliyapitiya base hospital and five of them in critical condition transferred to Kurunegala general hospital and the Colombo National Hospital.   

Paliamentarian Mjr. Gen. Suriyabandara who visited the scene said it was prohibited to transport sand by tipper lorries during peak hours of traffic in the morning.   

The driver of the tipper lorry was taken into custody by Kuliyapitiyia police and was to be produced in court.   

OIC Traffic Branch S.I.Nalin Maheepala is conducting further investigations on the instructions of HQI Kuliyapitiya police CI Kamal Ratnayake.