Police have officially confirmed that the driver of the cab involved in the horrific accident near Meegoda Junction on the High Level Road was heavily intoxicated at the time of the incident that claimed six lives.
The accident occurred on the night of May 31 when a cab travelling from Avissawella towards Colombo veered off the road and crashed into a queue of devotees waiting at a Vesak Dansala. Following the collision, the driver fled the scene in the vehicle.
Suspect Cornered and Arrested at Gunpoint
Police teams immediately launched a pursuit and chased the cab, which was fleeing at high speed. Officers subsequently blocked the road at Godagama Junction and surrounded the suspect.
According to the Police Media Division, the driver attempted to continue driving despite police orders to stop. As a result, officers arrested him at gunpoint on the spot.
The suspect has been identified as a 42-year-old resident of Piliyandala.
Identity of the Deceased
Hospital sources said that 13 people who sustained serious injuries in the accident were admitted to the Homagama Base Hospital. Six of them were pronounced dead on admission.
The deceased include three women aged 15, 32, and 56, and three men aged 35, 38, and 58.
Police investigations have revealed that the victims include a married couple and the husband’s mother, all from the same family and residents of Piliyandala. The remaining victims were residents of Hanwella, Padukka, and Avissawella.
The other seven injured victims, including a young child, are currently receiving treatment at Homagama Base Hospital.
The arrested suspect is scheduled to be produced before the Homagama Magistrate’s Court. Meegoda Police are continuing investigations into the incident.
