Corporal Saliya who fell into sea while descending from parachute

Corporal Saliya who fell into sea while descending from parachute

Not even a month elapsed since an unfortunate death being recorded with the parachute not opening up, an incident is reported where a commando soldier had fallen into sea from a parachute and had died in the process. 

When being engaged in in an exercise held in Kamburpitya area belonging to Kuchchiveli police division in the tenth 'Diyakawa' operation combined war exercise, the parachute has got blown away
by a gust of  wind and has fallen into the sea and the soldier has got drowned and died as a result. It was corporal K.H. Saliya Priyantha (35) of the Ganemulla fourth commando regiment who met with death in this instance. 

While jumping down from the helicopter with the aid of a parachute together with another team of commandos, some of them had got taken away by the wind and have hit the sea while one of them has got drowned and the others have swum to land and come ashore, police say. 

Saliya Priyantha is a father of two. Mr. Priyantha who died was married to Chathurika Lakmali (33) and he incidentally has a a four year old daughter by the name of Senuli Lihara and three year old daughter called K.H. Sithuli Bihansa. Mrs. R.G. Chathurika Lakmali, wife of deceased commando soldier on making a statement to police said that the deceased is her husband and that he has two daughters and that last Thursday has told her over the phone that he would be leaving to Trincomalee from Ganemulla camp. 

"It is five years since we married. Husband's service period is 12 years. He came home around six forty five last 20th from the army. Father was there. When I came home father said that husband has had a fall and is injured. Later was told that he has passed away", she said. The deceased corporal has dreamed of living together with his family in a house of his own. For that purpose he has even prepared basic plans. He had decided to arrange for an auspicious hour to start work on his house after returning home in the weekend after the 'Diyakawa' exercise. 

The deceased who was a resident of Galle was living in the ancestral home of his wife after marriage. His wife incidentally was a development officer of Ratnapura main ministry. Deceased Saliya in fact was subjected twice to terrorist attacks during the period of the war. Though he was seriously injured from gun-shots, he managed to save his life. 

The commando's magisterial inquiry was conducted day before yesterday (21) at Trincomalee general hospital mortuary under additional magistrate Mrs. Chamila Ratnayaka. When deceased Saliya's body was brought to his wife's home in Galinna, Pelwadiya, Ratnapura a large crowd of people was present there. 

Further inquiries are being conducted under Kuchchaweli police officer in charge, chief inspector of police Mr. W.H. Janaka Priyantha while recording of evidence is expected to be carried out in Kuchchaweli magistrate court next 9th. Final funeral arrangements of the corporal would be conducted amidst army honours at family burial grounds in Galinna, Ratnapura - Pelwadiya today (23).