YOUTH DIES OF SUFFOCATION AFTER ATTEMPTING TO BREAK A WORLD RECORD IN ORDER TO ENTER INTO THE GUINNESS BOOK

YOUTH FAILS IN HIS ATTEMPT TO BREAK A WORLD RECORD, BUT DIES INSIDE A COVERED 6 FEET PIT OWING TO SUFFOCATION

An unfortunate death is reported from Kantale, where a 24 year old youth had died of suffocation in trying to stay 7 hours inside a pit 6 feet in depth, in an attempt to break a record and enter his name in to the Guinness Book of world records.

He had practiced this horror event a number of times. He had dug a pit 6 feet in depth and had asked his colleagues to cover it with planks and place soil above it and set fire on top of it. His motive and intention was to be a ‘hero’ in his village. He had died while attempting this terror act owing to suffocation.
The incident was published in the ‘Rivira’ paper in the following manner:
The name of this 24 year old youngster is Janaka kumar Basnayake. From his younger days he had been indulged in terror sports and had been a member of a group performing “Sando’ activities. Before this unfortunate death Janaka was able to astonish several people in the village by performing the similar act for a few hours. This time he wanted to prolong the period up to 7 hours to register his name in Guinness book of World records. He initially performed this act by taking a bottle of water along with him into the pit, dug by him.
Unfortunately this time Janaka who went in to the pit with a bottle of water with his Mother’s blessing could not come out alive. If his Mother knew earlier about the danger of this terror act, she would not allowed him to proceed with the act he had planned.
The deceased Janaka had quipped before he entered the pit “Amma do not worry, this exercise is what I had performed several times before. To enable me to have my name entered in the Guinness book of World records I need your blessings”. This is what he had told his Mother several times. Janaka had got all papers prepared whilst he was practicing this act. Janaka never knew he was only digging his own grave when he was making the necessary preparations for the event planned.
He had dug a pit 6 feet in depth in the vicinity of his dwelling house in the midst of a number of plantain trees. The determined civil   security guard did all preparations all by himself and according to his wishes. He never knew that he was digging his own pit after his death.
Prior to this feet he had performed several horror acts in front of his villages. He had bent iron rods with the help of his neck. Then by keeping a hard stone on his chest he had told his colleagues to break strong bricks by dashing them on his chest. About this endeavour and act all family members had protested as it appeared to be very dangerous act.
Before he went into the pit he had told his friends to take him out at 4.30.p.m.He had told his Mother he could stay without water. He had told his Mother not to be afraid.
Two of his friends Sampath and Gamini had helped him to get into the pit. They had followed his instructions by covering the pit with planks and over it with sand and allowing fire flames to burn above it. They had left saying they will be back at the time he wanted them to come. Janaka had told them not to take into serious consideration the number of hours he was to stay in the pit. The friends had arrived an hour before the time he had told to come. Janaka’s Mother had been monitoring this act although she was attending to house hold work.
When the friends arrived and opened the pit Janaka had already passed away owing to suffocation. Janaka’s Mother Y.J.Leelawathie 50 years old told this story.” It is very sad and a pity as my son’s ambition was to break a World record to bring laurels to the village. She told ne several times that not to be afraid”. His friends Sampath and Gamini had come much earlier as they had doubts about this horror act. He was taken out earlier than the time he told on the advice of Janaka’s Mother.
When he was taken out he was in an unconscious and was taken to hospital and Doctors pronounced him dead before admission and it was not of any avail in trying to save his life.
Janaka’s Father B.M.kiriwatte had this to say..”On that day I was not at home. If I stayed at home this tragic incident may not have been allowed to happen. My son Janaka had dug the pit all by himself. He was in the habit of showing such stunts at temples and collected money, which he donated to the development of temples. He did this attempting for World record. He was very unlucky”, he quipped.
Janaka’s friend and relative V.J.A. Ajith Fernando, 27 years old had this to say.”To perform such horror and terror acts Janaka was a champion. Previously he had been inside a pit for 4 to 6 hours. He had told he was not afraid of that act. What his objective was to enter his name into the Guinness book of World records. He was a brave civil Grama forces employee. He always did such terror acts. He wanted to bring fame to the village by breaking a record that stood in the Guinness book of World records.”
This unfortunate death would not have occurred if had the guidance and advise from a trainer. It was a real pity. It was very sad to see his body been buried in the same pit he dig for his record breaking exercise.