"Before grabbing her she jumped backwards" -- Girl dies during training on school stage

"Before grabbing her she jumped backwards" 

-- Girl dies during training on school stage

A tragic incident of a young girl collapsing from the stage and dying drama training at St.Peter's College, Banbalapitiya has been reported.

The deceased girl aged 26 years named Thilini Nirasha Fernando has even been involved in preparation of clothes for that particular drama and she in fact had worked together with the group

concerned and had even engaged in physical exercises activities with the support of Old Boys.

She had died as a result of a risky act to boost group-feelings given by their instructor going wrong which incidentally was an instruction given before drama training. In most cases what actually happens is during moments when this risky action is carried out, each member is allowed the opportunity of jumping backwards from stage purposely at once and at that moment the other members are alert so as to prevent that person falling which in turn promotes and confirms feelings of being a team and instils faith towards other members of the group.

The deceased girl who voluntarily came forward for this particular act with consent had jumped from the stage even before the instructor gave the command. Since she had fallen backwards from a high level and as she had thus acted unanticipatedly before the signal was given, three students and the chief trainer of the drama team who were vigilant to get hold of her could not do so.

"Everyone jumped only after the signal was given. She jumped before that. Nobody thought that she would do so. Because of that it was not possible to catch her", the instructor had told police. On this occasion, the girl having fallen backwards of the stage had suffered difficulties and had become serious because of internal injuries. Though she was admitted to the Colombo national hospital, she had later passed away. It was 26 year old Thilini Nirasha Fernando residing at Chilaw Road, Wennappuwa who met with this untimely death. Her final rites were conducted last Saturday.