The Attorney General today filed indictment in the Colombo High Court against Navindu Umesh Ratnayake, the driver of the vehicle involved in the road accident that caused the death of the Traffic OIC of the Borella Police.

IP Sarathchandra (51), was critically injured in the hit-and-run accident at Bambalapitiya in February this year while he succumbed to injuries at the Colombo National Hospital a few days later.

The Traffic OIC of the Borella Police had been en route to the Kollupitiya Police Station, when the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a speeding Defender in Bambalapitiya, at around 4.35 am on February 24.

The Defender involved in the crash had fled the scene and was later found by police in Pelawatte, Battaramulla.

Eight persons including the driver of the vehicle and a female were arrested by Bambalapitiya police in connection with the hit-and-run case. Seven of the suspects were granted bail by the court while the driver was remanded.

The Attorney General’s Coordinating Officer stated that the suspect, Rathanayake Mudiyanselage Navindu Umesh Ratnayake, was indicted under 298 of Penal Code in the case pertaining to the road traffic accident which led to the death of IP Ananda Sagara Sarathchandra.

The accident had taken place at around 4.30 a.m. on February 24 at Dupli-Bullers Junction where Bullers Road connects to the Duplication Road at Bambalapitiya.

A Land Rover Defender jeep driven by the first suspect had been proceeding along the Duplication Road towards Wellawatte from the direction of Kollupitiya while it had been closely followed by a Toyota Land Cruiser jeep.

The Land Rover Defender had been travelling at an excessive speed towards Wellawatte apparently when the red lights were flashing in the traffic signal post.

The deceased and his motorcycle had been knocked down by the Defender driven by the first suspect at the intersection while the Defender had thereafter gone over the body of the victims.

However, the Defender and the Land Cruiser had fled the scene without taking steps to either to take the injured to the hospital or to repot the incident to the police.

The injured had been taken to the hospital by a police officer who rushed to the scene soon after the incident with the aid of another person. 

The victims had succumbed to injuries on March 09, 2019.