During her relatives' New Year party in Piliyandala, 6-year-old Ihansa hid in the pool.

A New Year's party filled with laughter and joy, no one in that family would have thought it would turn into a never-ending story of tears in a single moment.

A tragedy was reported yesterday (18) evening, where a six-year-old girl unfortunately died after falling into a swimming pool at a hotel in Dampe, Piliyandala. The little girl who prematurely ended her life's journey was Ihansa Namodi Perera, a resident of Mihindupura, Pelanwatta, Pannipitiya, who was studying at an international school in Arawwala.

The tragedy of this story is further intensified by the fact that this little girl grew up under the love and care of her father's sister, as her mother was abroad. On the day of the incident, nearly forty close relatives from several families had enthusiastically gathered at this hotel since the morning for a New Year's celebration. After spending the entire day happily, they gathered near the swimming pool in the evening with the intention of enjoying water sports.

Around 4:15 PM, as a group of ten people, including small children, were gathered around the swimming pool, death lingered nearby, unnoticed by anyone. Suddenly, one of the girl's uncles, who was in the adult section of the swimming pool, saw something like a black lump under the water. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was his little niece submerged underwater. He immediately jumped into the pool, pulled the girl out, administered first aid, and quickly arranged to take her to the Piliyandala District Hospital.

Although the doctors at the District Hospital made strenuous efforts to save the girl's life, a hospital spokesperson confirmed that Ihansa's last breath had already merged with the air. Mr. Ajith Wijesinghe, the Piliyandala Kesbewa Inquirer into Sudden Deaths, who examined the scene of the incident and the body placed at Piliyandala Hospital, ordered the police to take the body to Kalubowila Teaching Hospital for a post-mortem examination and to conduct a magisterial inquiry regarding the incident.

Under the instructions of Acting OIC of Piliyandala Police, Police Inspector Asela Prasad Seneviratne, Sub-Inspector K.D.P. Liyanarachchi and Constable Waruna (102111) are conducting further investigations. Silently reminding everyone of the severe consequences that can arise from even a momentary lapse in attention towards children, the environment once filled with the laughter of relatives is now left only with the tears and sighs arising from the loss of little Ihansa.