The Welikanda police have apprehended the killer bus driver responsible for a devastating accident that occurred 14 years ago at the Pihiti Sevanapitiya railway crossing on the Polonnaru Batticaloa main road. The driver was arrested at a roadblock in the early hours of today (14) morning.
The tragic incident, which took place on May 16, 2009, shook the nation as the driver, by recklessly driving the bus through the railway crossing without adhering to traffic rules, endangered the lives of a group of preschool children and their parents who were on a picnic. Tragically, seven helpless children lost their lives at the scene, with a total of 15 fatalities and 40 injuries reported.
Following a prolonged legal process spanning 14 years, the Polonnaruwa High Court, presided over by High Court Judge AIS Suraweera, delivered its verdict on September 22, 2023, overturning the death sentence previously imposed on the driver.
The apprehended individual, who had evaded the court for approximately a year prior to the announcement of the death sentence, was finally captured by the police. The arrest took place at the Welikanda police roadblock around 4:00 a.m., as confirmed by Welikanda Police Station Commander Inspector Samantha Ratnayake.
The operation to apprehend the suspect was conducted under the guidance of Polonnaruwa Senior Superintendent of Police Nishan de Silva and Welikanda Assistant Superintendent of Police Pragathi Lakmini. Inspector Ratnayake, along with Crime Division Station Commander Sub-Inspector H.M. Siam and a team of dedicated police officers, executed the operation with precision and diligence.
The arrested individual is set to be presented before the Polonnaruwa Magistrate’s Court tomorrow (15), as announced by the Welikanda Police.
