Constable Lahiru, who died after being hit while riding his father's bike to report for duty

A 28-year-old police constable, a resident of Utuwankanda, Mawanella, died in a road accident after being hit by a bus in the Meepitiya area of Kegalle. The officer, Lahiru Harshana Jayalath (93825), who was attached to the Kegalle Headquarters Police, met this unfortunate fate while traveling on his motorcycle from his home to report for duty in the early morning of the 31st.

While approximately 300 meters from the police station, in the Meepitiya area, his motorcycle collided with a bus belonging to the Mattakkuliya depot, which was traveling from Colombo towards Kandy. His helmet came off, and his head hit the ground, causing him to die on the spot.

During the inquest held at Kegalle General Hospital regarding this death, the father of the deceased constable, 58-year-old Mr. Pathmasiri Jayalath of Halmillagahawatte Gedara, testified that his son had gone to duty on his motorcycle that morning, and later, while he was at work in carpentry, he learned about the accident through a relative. The father stated that he came to the hospital and identified the body, and that he believes this was a death caused by a road accident.

The father recalled how his child received education from Utuwankanda Maha Vidyalaya and Kegalle Swarna Jayanthi Vidyalaya and joined the police service. He also mentioned that his son received training from Thambuththegama Police Training College, served at Wellampitiya and Mulleriyawa police stations, and received a transfer to Kegalle at the beginning of this January. Mr. Pathmasiri further testified that his deceased son, the eldest in the family, was unmarried, and his daughter is studying at a nursing college.

The post-mortem examination conducted by Assistant Judicial Medical Officer Dr. G. C. P. Mangala Kumara of Kegalle General Hospital concluded that the death was due to brain injuries sustained in the accident. Kegalle Inquirer into Sudden Deaths, Mrs. Renuka Subodhani Kaluarachchi Nissanka, ruled it a death caused by a road accident. The bus driver, a resident of Badulla, who was arrested in connection with the accident, was ordered by the acting Magistrate of Kegalle to be released on a cash bail of ten thousand rupees and a personal bond of one million rupees, and the case was adjourned. The final rites of the deceased officer are scheduled to be held this afternoon (02) at the Utuwankanda Public Cemetery.