Children in Nilwala River Rescued by Army - UPDATES

 


Children have been thrown into river ....
as a result of a family dispute in connection with extra-marital problem

Investigations carried out so far on the incident where a sinful father had thrown his two daughters aged 2 years and 4 years to Nilwala River and fled the scene has revealed that it was a result of a family dispute over an issue concerning an illicit affair. Frequent disputes had taken place in the family over a case of suspicion of the suspected father having an affair with the wife's sister. The suspect who is supposed to be an alcoholic has had quarrels with his wife saying that she was having an extra-marital relationship. On the night of April 23rd, it has been revealed at investigations that a conflict has arisen in the house and that the suspect had brutally assaulted the wife.

The two children who have thus been thrown into the river from near Mahanama Bridge in Matara are 2 year old Gihandika Kavindi and 4 year old Chathurika Dineshi, resident in Rathmale area in Matara.

It was a group of soldiers of the Gemunu Regiment who were in close proximity that were successful in saving the lives of these two children who were drowning. The children have been admitted to Matara General Hospital for treatment and though their condition is not serious, police say that they are suffering from a severe shock. The media who arrived there were able to see that the two children who are receiving treatment under the staff of Matara Hospital are being given their meals and looked after well with great affection.

There is also another elderly child of 11 years in the family. It was the 4 year old and 2 year old child who have been thrown into the waters of of Nilwala river.  At the time when this incident took place, this eldest boy had gone for his educational studies at Dikwella North Maha Vidyalaya.

Further investigations are being conducted to ascertain whether the father of the children had thrown the children into the river and subsequently committed suicide by jumping into the same river or has fled the scene. What was revealed from evidence uncovered was that there are witnesses who say that he was seen heading towards Matara town. The mother of the two children, Kankanamge Chamila Kumari (32) by now remains under police custody.

She said that she had lodged a complaint with Dikwella police last 21st of April that her husband is always quarreling with her bringing out an allegation that she is carrying on an illicit affair. The complaint so lodged was scheduled to be heard on April 24th and as such her husband had taken these two children to be given over to the mother's younger sister to be looked after by her and had told that he would come to the police station. So saying he had gone from the house with the two children.

This incident has happened after that. The wife who believed that he would drop the children there and would come to the police station had remained nearby at the police station until evening and later the police had informed her about the tragedy concerned. The police say that the father who threw the children into the river was one Chandana Saman Kumara, a barber in Dikwella area.

The mother of the two children informed Matara police that her husband was of the habit of constantly fighting with her saying that she was having a connection with another man, and being unable to bear it up had complained to Dikwella police last 21st. The police had asked them to report there for an inquiry to be held on the complaint on the 24th.

When the husband had consulted a fortune-teller, it had been told that she was having an illicit connection. The mother of the two children Chamila Kumari (32) said that after visiting the said fortune-teller, the husband had been continuously beating her. This is what she had to say: "We have 3 children and the eldest is 11 years old.  He is studying at Dikwella Vijitha Vidyalaya in grade 7. The eldest daughter Chathurika Dineshi is attending a pre-school. The small child is 2 years old .... she is Vihansi Savindi .... she is at home.

My husband worked at a Dikwella salon. He is a person who is addicted to alcohol. He takes alcohol frequently and then starts a quarrel. In the process one day he said that when he visited a fortune-teller, he was told that I was having a connection with another man. However much I told him, he didn't accept it. He began to scold me, beat me and worry me".

The father of the children was a barber by profession. This suspect is a resident of Rathmale area in Matara. His wife's sister had come to stay with them in their house only recently. When the suspect was creating conflicts accusing the wife of having alliances with various people, the wife on the other hand had argued accusing her by connecting her with the husband too. It was at this point that the argument had gone beyond limits.

A wide-scaled investigation has been launched by the police in search of the father who had thrown these children into the river.

The four army soldiers who jumped into the river and swum to rescue the small girls when the latter were being washed away by the waters even risking their own lives are those who were on duty at the Matara Gemunu Regiment camp. They are Lance Corporal Manage, ordinary soldier K. Pushpakumara, A. de Silva and K.L.C. Madhusanna.