Two female civil security officers were killed by a train while preparing to go for the Anuradhapura pilgrimage.

Two female Civil Security Force officers, who were on their way to worship the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, died after being hit by a train running near the South Kalutara railway station yesterday (16) at around 4:45 AM. Vithana Gamage Renuka Damayanthi, 58, a resident of Mahakalupahana, Matugama, who was attached to the Serupita Civil Security Force camp, and Deveni Guruge Sriyani, 53, a resident of Manana, Agalawatta, have thus tragically passed away.

It has been revealed that these two were hit by a service train running from Dematagoda to Beliatta.

Lakshika Madushani, the daughter of the deceased Mrs. Sriyani, who provided information regarding the incident, stated that her mother and her friend left home around 2:00 AM for a pilgrimage to worship at the Anuradhapura shrines. Her husband had taken her mother to Matugama town and dropped her off to board a bus bound for Kalutara.

Mrs. Renuka Damayanthi's 16-year-old daughter had also joined this pilgrimage. According to her, they arrived at the Kalutara long-distance bus terminal by bus from Matugama, and then walked along the road near the stadium and attempted to board the train platform. The daughter first got onto the platform and, seeing a train approaching, tried to pull the other two up, but before she could, they were hit by the fast-approaching train.

The bodies of the two deceased in the accident have been placed in the mortuary of the Kalutara Nagoda Teaching Hospital, and arrangements have been made to hold the relevant inquests before Ms. Nirosha Niluk Pini, the Inquirer into Sudden Deaths for Kalutara Thotamuna. Police Sergeant (55318) S.A.R.K. de Silva is conducting further investigations into the incident under the instructions of Kalutara Headquarters Chief Police Inspector Nalaka Gunasekara.