At least five people were killed in separate road accidents reported from Periyanilavani, Ingiriya, Horowpathana, and Weligama on Thursday (28), police said.
In Periyanilavani, a 56-year-old motorcyclist died after losing control of his bike while overtaking two motorcycles and colliding with an oncoming bus on the Batticaloa–Kalmunai road. He succumbed to his injuries at the Kalmunai Hospital. The bus driver was taken into custody.
In Ingiriya, a 19-year-old rider from Poruwadanda died after his motorcycle collided head-on with a bus at Ratmalgoda along the Ratnapura–Panadura road. The pillion passenger was hospitalized with injuries. Police arrested the bus driver.
In Horowpathana, a lorry travelling towards Anuradhapura veered off the Anuradhapura–Trincomalee road near the 126th km post, hitting two schoolgirls and a parked motorcycle before crashing into a culvert. A 10-year-old girl and a 23-year-old passenger of the lorry died after admission to hospital. The lorry driver and others injured were transferred to Anuradhapura Hospital for further treatment.
In Weligama, a 41-year-old man from Mirissa travelling on the footboard of a bus died after falling and being run over by the same vehicle at Pelena on the Galle–Matara main road. The bus driver was arrested.
Police said investigations into all four accidents are ongoing. (Newswire)