Gate-watchers on strike .... mother and children die, knocked by train

Gate-watchers on strike .... mother and children die, knocked by train

Three deaths were reported yesterday under most unfortunate conditions because of an unmanned railway crossing during the period railway gatekeepers were on strike. The accident has occured when an express train from Colombo to

Anuradhapura collided against a motor cycles which carried a young mother and her two small children around 12.15 in the afternoon yesterday (3rd) at the Beragala railway crossing at Ganewatta, Wellawa.

At the time of the accident the mother was escorting one daughter the latter of whom had finished her tuition-class and another daughter also was with the mother and all of them were heading home, it is said. The mother was 32 year old Deepani Dilrukshi and the two daughters were Ovindya aged 6 years studying in grade 1 and Dehemi aged just 18 months. The motor cycle which struck the train it is reported had got thrown a distance of about 200 metres. This fatal accident had happened at Beragala Bend Junction in Ganewatta, Wellawa. It was understood that this was the third fatal accident that had taken place after the railway gatekeepers launched their strike. The husband of the deceased mother is attached to the army and he visits home once every few weeks, it is reported.