‘I am helpless with three children and I have no income…’ This is how the woman who lost her husband in the fatal car accident that happened in Kollupitiya area on the 10th at around 6.15 in the morning cried. She is a mother of three school-aged children. This accident in which her husband, who was a tricycle driver, was involved was the talk of many people.
The person who caused this accident did not even come and talk to us. We ask to bring him back to this country. We ask why such things being done to people…’ This is how the wife, who is alone and helpless in this world, cried.
The son of the dead tricycle driver cried, and said ‘As usual, my father left home at around 5.15 in the morning. My dad does three wheel hiring. This accident has happened between 6.15 and 6.30 am. We received a call at around 7.10 am. The caller verified the relationship and other details the victim of the accident that is my father. We gave details he asked. Then he said that my father is dead in an accident. My dad doesn’t drive reckless. We want justice for what happened. I’m still studying. I have a younger sister in 6th grade. My elder sister is still studying. It was my father who provided us with food and all other necessities all these years…’ .
A neighbour of the dead tricycle driver said, ‘Tuan is a very innocent man, has not done any wrong to anyone. He is a very innocent man who smiles and talks. If the culprits can be punished for this injustice and this family can be given a way to live, that is what they are asking to be done at this time…’ he said.
The person who caused the accident had run away at the same time. It was later revealed that he had left for Dubai at around 10 am same day
The question how the culprit escaped after committing such a fatal accident was heavily questioned on social media. Many people were questioning whether the security of our country was so frail that this criminal escaped from the country within a very short time of three hours after the accident.
Investigations revealed that the young man who had driven the super Benz that committed the crime had gone to several clubs and consume alcohol and had fun that night, accompanied with several women. It was further revealed in the investigations that the accidents occurred when the group of five people, including three women, had a drinking party in three nightclubs and were on their way to a five-star hotel in Colombo to drink more alcohol, was unable to control their speed.
A three-wheeler was driving in front of this highly speeding super car which was heading from Kollupitiya towards Galle face. The car was driven by a 26-year-old man named Mohammad Rizwan. It is also said that he is a millionaire businessman. Due to his excessive drunkenness, he was suddenly unable to control the speed of the vehicle and rammed the three-wheeler that was running in front of him and crashed through the gate of a nearby house and stopped.
The accident happened near Kollupitiya People’s Bank. A 58-year-old man named Draman Nurdin Tuan Putra, a resident of Kahathuduwa Pragati Mawatha area, was killed in this accident. He is a father of three school-going children. He was seriously injured in the accident and was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital, but he had already passed away. There were two women in the car at the time of the accident, and they were also admitted to the Colombo National Hospital as they were attacked by the women who had gathered at the time near the location of accident. The police said that the two women who were attacked were aged 29 and 31 years.
Nurdin Tuan, who died in the accident, supported his family by working as a three-wheel driver. He had gone to Kollupitiya from his home in Kahathuduwa at around 5.15 in the morning that day for the tricycle job. However, his last rites were performed on the 11th. Tuan’s wife cried feebly, she wept ‘I am helpless with my three children. We have no other income. All three children go to school. I don’t want anything else. I ask for justice for the sake of children…’
Investigations revealed that 26-year-old Mohammed Raisul Mohammed Rishak, who was said to be a resident of Wellampitiya, who drove the car, had left the country within a few hours of the accident. The police had stated that he is a millionaire businessman and that he was not present during the inspection of the houses in Maradana, Dehiwala and Wellampitiya which are said to belong to him.
Many people called this suspect by the name of Ishi. Many had said that he got bail because of his political connections. Many mentioned that he went to Dubai because of that political strength. Who allowed him to flee the country and flee to the state of Dubai?
We know very well that a person who has caused a car accident should be remanded for 14 days and prohibited from traveling abroad during that time. This is the law what we know. But the police had arrested two women who attacked the women who were the occupants in this luxury Benz car. The police said that the women were arrested after checking the CCTV camera footage were workers in sanitary facilities.
Anyway, now the tricycle driver’s wife and three children are helpless in this accident. The question that arises in everyone’s mind is whether Ishi or someone else is taking the responsibility of this helpless family.
The millionaire businessman, who had fled the country after the accident, was arrested two days later on the 12th at around 9.50 pm when he arrived at the Katunayake airport on an Emirates flight from Dubai. After that, the suspect was handed over to Katunayake Police and he was referred to Kollupitiya Police. Colombo Traffic Magistrate Y. Mr. Prabhakaran ordered to remand the suspect till 16th December.
Today, the number of accidents caused by drunk drivers is huge. Every night, every afternoon, every morning, we hear about many accidents caused by drunk drivers. Even though the police have tried their best to reduce these accidents, it is not seen that those efforts have been successful. Many people are of the opinion that the penalties imposed on drunk drivers should be made more severe. If the driver’s license is banned for life for the drivers who are caught by the police for driving under the influence of alcohol, it will be able to achieve some good results.
Even if he runs away from a country after having a fatal car accident, he will never be saved by his conscience. Three children and a wife were helpless in this accident. Due to this accident, a poor family that had nothing to earn became destitute. They have no political power or wealth. Keeping in mind that they are a group of innocent people who have fallen to the extremes of poverty, there is nothing left for the authorities to do except do justice to them and impose the maximum punishment of the law on the guilty.
