Mysterious death in Mt. Lavinia House Chandra ... "Kept on saying ... 'I am close to death!" -- newly wedded wife says

Mysterious death in Mt. Lavinia House Chandra ...

"Kept on saying ... 'I am close to death!"  -- newly wedded wife says

Information exposed by the newly wedded wife by the name of Iraki on the mysterious death of Garment businessman, Mr. Chaminda Wijeyatilleka who died in House Chandra hotel room sometime ago in Mt. Lavinia has now brought about several equally mysterious features.

Iraki the daughter of a brother of former Minister

Karunasena Kodituwakku who presently functions as the Chinese Consulate has faced this situation. According to what she says, this tragedy has taken place on the aftermath of their honeymoon. She has told that Chaminda used to frequent this particular hotel and was used to engage in bouts of alcohol. From the night of the wedding-day he had mentioned some strange things like his life maybe shortened.

She has explained that her first love broke up with an Army doctor and because of the disappointment she underwent subsequently she had dismissed matters of romance or marriage and had dedicated her life towards non-violence towards animals when during that period this marriage has taken place on a proposal brought forward by an acquaintance friend.

"It was Nulinda malli, working for our organisation who broke that decision and brought a person close to my heart. Chaminda Mohan Wijayatilleka was staying close to their home in Saranankara Road, Nugegoda and what Nulinda tried to do was to stabilise both Chaminda's and my life when we two had resolved to remain unmarried ... by mentioning about Chaminda. Nulinda said that he was kind and that he would assist me in duties relating to animals and that he earns a lot of money and spends a lot ... but that there's no regularity in life. He said that both of us could get together and proceed on life's journey satisfactorily.

After seeing my photographs even before seeing me in person he even gave his consent to marry me. I even told him not to show his desire like that by looking at my photo ... because these days photos could be recast. We one day met in Maharagama and spoke to each other. He was quite handsome and I felt that he was kind also. But my thoughts didn't halt near him just because Nulinda spoke about him. Helpless animals had become my whole life. What I wanted was to save at least one life for a day. Till last May I didn't reply to any SMS he sent me and I wasn't interested in responding to his calls. It was in the month of May that we began to speak over the telephone. That also was because Nulinda told me that he was worried over the negative response from me. What he said was, 'For this entire 41 years I have not loved anybody'. I felt that he really loved me. I asked him for a short time to make up my mind to love him. After that I allocated a time to speak to him. In most instances men use to keep their love inside their hearts ... but he would express feelings of love just as it pops up in his heart.

Chaminda aiya changed my heart. I loved him to the maximum. So for that reason I didn't care to find out who he was and the background to his life. Actually I don't know how he passed those 41 years. To say how good he was ... he appeared to me like Lord Buddha. Even to my friends I used to say that Aiya was like the Buddha. What I felt was that if by chance there was a flaw somewhere and have to leave a nice person like him I would lose his love. For that reason I didn't care to tell about my affair to Loku thaaththa, Maama or Loku amma as such. When Chaminda Aiya's elder sisters prepared the auspicious time and thus hastened our marriage I didn't tell them because I was scared that Chaminda Aiya would be taken away from me. It was a close date that was given when auspicious time was prepared. There was only 11 days to get everything ready. I said that this date was too close and to try to adjust a month or two. To that they replied saying 'We live only for a short time more no ... so there's no need to change the date".

Though everything was hastened up for that short period, Iraki and Chaminda were able to plan out a small, pleasant wedding. It was Minister Harin Fernando and Mrs. Otara Gunawardena who were witnesses to the marriage. Chaminda and Iraki got a house on rent to live after marriage. What Iraki liked was to live in his ancestral home where his father and mother lived in Saranankara Road. But he disliked that. What he said was that although I say so initially, after a few days I would not like it thereafter. Though a list of necessities for the new home was prepared, they did not buy them with the hope of buying them after the wedding.

"Our wedding was on 18th August. That day was spent most happily ... in hotels and at younger sister's home. But there are certain things those days which I think are special now. I can't sleep with jewellery on at ? Therefore on the very first day itself I removed my wedding ring. Then he said 'You'll have to wear it only for a few days more; so put it on without removing it'. I put the ring back on my finger. If I were to turn to the other side of the bed ... he would instantly ask me to turn this side. 'Only for a short time we'll be living

no'. 28th? He said he was feeling cold and covered his head downwards with the  and slept like that ... thinking that it would be impossible to wait without sheet looking at his face. When I happened to take off the cloth he was covering and looked at his face, at once the thought came to my mind that I would lose him. With that fright I spoke to Nulinda's wife that very moment and told what I felt. That day ? from time to time those thoughts came streaming into my mind.

Then on the 30th he was with me and escorted me to have some thosai. He left me at home and said he was going to Horana in a three-wheeler for some business matter. He was engaged in a garment business. He used to bring clothes/cloth from China with a friend of his and dump them here. In addition he had a clothes shop at Pamunuwa too. That day when he was leaving me ... unlike on other days I embraced him and said 'don't leave me and go Aiye'. 'You can't go in the three-wheeler ... I am coming back in the evening no' he told. He spoke to me in the evening and reprimanded me saying that I missed a call of his. He reprimanded me saying it was because he got scared that I had faced some problem. Since he didn't come home till late in the night I called again and it was around 10.15 in the night. He responded saying 'It's only now that I came to my mother's place ... tired ... can't come home ... will stay at home ... will talk after taking a wash'. But he didn't speak. I thought he may have fallen asleep as he was tired. After we got married he went alone like that to his ancestral home on one other occasion before. That day when I blamed him, he came back without staying there. So the next day without waiting till he called, not being able to wait anymore I called him at about 8 or 9 in the morning. The phone was not ringing. I had to attend a meeting. I went for it. Even at 12 in the afternoon the phone was not ringing.

When I contacted the three-wheel malli with whom he used to go, he said that he didn't come there. I took a call to Chaminda Aiya's mother after that. His mother said that he was not there and said that he came saying that he was going home to our place. My head was on fire and I rushed to their home. In the meantime at about 1 o'clock the three-wheel malli who who had gone and dropped him the day before at House Chandra Hotel in Mt. Lavinia had gone and knocked on the door of his room. 'I am feeling sleepy, I'll come later', the three-wheel malli had told this to an elder sister of Chaminda Aiya. It was to that hotel that Chaminda Aiya usually goes to. I had made him promise that if ever he gets caught drunk, the marriage would be over. So what I thought was that he may have had drinks and not being able to come home and not being able to go to his mother's place he may still be there. I was waiting for him till 5 in the evening. But neither the telephone was working nor did he come home. I actually lost my temper. I spoke to Nulinda and told he may have got drunk and is sleeping ... at least break open the door and to bring him back".

Iraki was waiting till Nulinda went there and brought back Chaminda home. But by about 15 minutes Nulinda spoke to her and had told her not to panic but to come to Kalubowila Hospital. As the call was disconnected she rang again; but there was no response -- she has thus had no way to get any other information. She then rushed to Kalubowila Hospital.

" I sensed that he was having some sort of a problem. A short while after I left, Nulinda and three-wheel malli brought him ... draped in a white cloth. The face was swollen and there was something like black spots. What I thought was that he had been thrown acid. He was admitted to the Accident Ward of Kalubowila Hospital and was treated there. Even when Nulinda and three-wheel malli went, the door of the room was closed they said. They had heard a murmuring sound. They have supposed to have knocked on the door and spoken. They had heard the noise of keys rattling. The door had opened. When they entered the room he was found with his face down on bed. There had been 14 cards near Chaminda Aiya who was with a towel round his body. His skull had cracked, there were cut wounds about 9 inches deep on fingers of his hands, fingernail marks; the neck was bruised, the jaw was broken, 4 teeth were dislodged from their roots itself and a friend who came there had gone and brought them.

He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit saying that his condition was serious. On the 3rd I was told to go inside and speak. He never opened his eyes. I knew however that he understood what was being told. When I said I was leaving ... he opened his eyes once ... heaved a big sigh. Then after that on September 5th morning he closed his eyes forever at 10.35 .

Mt. Lavinia Police who conducted investigations say that this is a case of suicide. Are there people who torture themselves so much and commit suicide? The other thing is that my husband whom I know for five six months had no reason to commit suicide by that time. After marrying me what he wanted was to have some children, have a house, a vehicle and to live by developing his business. I am suspicious of this death. What I plead is to solve this mystery. Already investigations are underway by Mirihana Police and the CID".

What Mt. Lavinia Police say is that there is information to the effect that the business of the deceased had collapsed and that he has got into debt. It is said that some blank Panadol cards and a tie was found from his hotel room. Whatever it is, it is an open verdict that has been issued at the postmortem. Parts of his body have been sent to the Government Analyst. Until the Government Analyst's report is obtained, nobody could arrive at a conclusion about this death. However, the life he was prepared to enjoy he had to leave in this manner encountering torture and his wife having to suffer right throughout her life which ultimately turned out to be an unfortunate incident which indeed is a tragedy.

Information -- Bianca Nanayakkara (Rivira)