Drunk driver kills six at Vesak food queue near Colombo
COLOMBO – Six people were killed and seven others injured after a cab driven by an allegedly intoxicated driver ploughed into a crowd waiting in line at a Vesak dansala in Meegoda, on the outskirts of Colombo, police said.
The accident occurred late Sunday (May 31) night on High Level Road in the Meegoda Police Division when the vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a group of people gathered to receive free food being distributed as part of Vesak celebrations.
Police said the driver attempted to flee the scene following the collision but was apprehended by officers stationed near Meegoda Junction. The suspect, a 42-year-old resident of Piliyandala, was later found to have been under the influence of alcohol.
A total of 13 victims were admitted to the Homagama Base Hospital after the crash. Six of them – three men and three women – succumbed to their injuries.
The deceased include women aged 15, 32 and 56, and men aged 35, 38 and 58. Police said the male victims were residents of Hanwella and Avissawella, while the female victims were from the Piliyandala area.
Seven others, including a young child, remain hospitalized and are receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the incident.
The crash occurred as hundreds of devotees across the country participated in Vesak observances, with dansalas serving free food and refreshments to the public.
Meegoda Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.
Sri Lanka records approximately 3,000 road fatalities annually, with drunk driving and reckless driving remaining among the leading causes of serious traffic accidents.
-ENCL
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