Woman hit by motorcycle dies at hospital

A woman has died in a road accident that occurred near the Aluthgama-Welipenna entrance of the Southern Expressway on the 3rd of last month. The Welipenna Police report that the motorcyclist who caused the accident and was fleeing the scene was involved in another accident and has been hospitalized.

Police have identified the deceased woman as Mrs. K.A. Sadeema Dilrukshi, a 38-year-old mother of three residing in the Pahe Kanuwa area, Meegama, Dharga Town. This fatal accident occurred in the Hathara Kanuwa area on the Aluthgama-Welipenna access road of the Southern Expressway. According to police investigations, a collision occurred between two motorcycles traveling in the same direction from Welipenna towards Aluthgama. The motorcycle ridden by the suspect motorcyclist collided with the rear of the motorcycle ridden by the deceased woman.

The suspect who caused the accident was involved in a second accident when he collided with another motorcycle while fleeing the scene. He was initially admitted to the Dharga Town Government Hospital and later transferred to the Nagoda Teaching Hospital in Kalutara. A senior police officer stated that he is receiving treatment there under police protection. Police say that the deceased woman was already dead when she was admitted to the Dharga Town Hospital.

Welipenna Police state that legal action will be taken against the 22-year-old suspect involved in the accident. The inquest into this death was conducted by Welipenna Inquirer into Sudden Deaths, Mr. Nihal Jayaneththi. The post-mortem examination conducted by Dr. K.T.M.B.T. Gunathilaka, Chief Judicial Medical Officer at Nagoda Hospital, confirmed that the cause of death was severe injuries to the head and neck.

Issuing a special statement after the inquest, Welipenna Inquirer into Sudden Deaths, Mr. Nihal Jayaneththi, stated that wearing a safety helmet is mandatory when riding and traveling on motorcycles for the protection of the lives of both the rider and passengers. He emphasized that when police issue tickets to individuals traveling without helmets, those individuals scold the police officers and do not realize that the police are performing their duty for the safety of the public's lives.

The inquirer into sudden deaths pointed out that helmets are for protecting the head, not for carrying in hand, and stated that such accidents have become common today because young people drive without regard for others on the road. He emphasized that all citizens should be concerned about the loss of valuable human lives that could serve the country, and he ordered the Welipenna Police to present the motorcyclist who caused the accident to the Mathugama Magistrate's Court.