The unfortunate loss of the Traffic OIC of the Borella Police Station last week, caught wide public attention due to many reasons. One such reason was the CCTV footage of the video which clearly showed the tragic last moments of the Borella Traffic OIC, IP Ananda Sagara Sarathchandra who died last week after battling for life for almost 14 days.
Another reason was the social status of many of the suspects. The chief suspect Navindu Omesh Rathnayaka, is the son of an SP attached to the Presidential Security Division.Ranishka Aluthgamage, son of MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Visitha Sri Wijesekara, owner of the defender and Sesitha Gunadasa, Vindya Weerasinghe and their companion, Municipal Councillor, Duminda Attygalle were among the other suspects. Their unruly behaviour and especially their callous neglect of the victim who was bleeding on the road has shocked people.
“It was February 24. He had special duty on that day because of the Iron Man tournament. We all woke up around 2 am. He left the home around 2.30 am”, the wife of Ananda Sarathchndra, Anoma Hathurusinghe told the Sunday Observer.
She said, “Two policemen from the City Traffic came to our place around 7 am.
They asked for the documents related to the bypass surgery done to my husband a few years ago. Then we questioned them about the need for those documents and they said that my husband met with a minor accident as a dog jumped before the motorcycle he was riding”.
The family members were taken to the hospital in a police vehicle and when they reached the hospital DIG Ajith Rohana had also been there and they felt that something serious could have happened to their beloved husband and father.“He was not in the ICU then and the three children went inside to see him. I didn’t go inside as I didn’t want to see him in such a condition. As my two sons and daughter came out of the room in tears, I realised that something serious has happened,” said Anoma.
IP Ananda Sarathchandra was critically injured following a defender hit-and-run accident in Bambalapitiya on February 24. The IP who was admitted to the National hospital was barely alive and was on life support.
“Based on the investigations carried out it has been revealed that the SUV (defender) had been travelling passing a red light. Through investigations and by the information received and the CCTV footage we were able to find the SUV which was hidden,” said Police Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara.
The main suspect or the driver of the defender, has been further remanded till March 18 by the Colombo Additional Magistrate. The Additional Magistrate turned down the request by the defence, to cancel the identification parade as the suspect had accepted that he was at the wheel at the time of the accident.
 Borella Traffic OIC,
IP Ananda Sagara Sarathchandra
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“The main suspect who was arrested is son of a Superintendent of Police and he was remanded after being produced before court. We have identified that he is the main suspect through the CCTV video and some personal evidence” said DIG in charge of Motor Traffic, Ajith Rohana at a media conference.
He later added, “We urge everyone to disregard any information spread on social media and also we have identified the IP addresses of 178 people who spread the news that someone else was driving the vehicle. We hope to produce them before courts and they will be able to inform the Court as to how they knew that someone else was driving the vehicle”.
“DIG Ajith Rohana recruited him as the Borella Traffic OIC. Since then they had a really good friendship. My husband respected him a lot. When we met him at the hospital he promised us that he will do the best on behalf of the Police to bring justice for my husband, said IP Sarathchandra’s wife, Anoma.
The eldest son of deceased Ananda Sarathchandra, Ashan works at a private bank while his younger brother also works as an intern in the same bank. The youngest of the family, the daughter sat for her GCE Ordinary Level examination last December and now awaits results.
“Now my concern is a house to live in and a job for my second child. We live in a rented house and we are paying Rs. 23,000 per month. Now,m y eldest son is the only one who has a job.
I have to provide for the education of my daughter as well. The President attended the funeral and asked us to visit the President’s office.
I hope that the Government would help us considering the difficult situation we are facing now” she said.“The Traffic Police will take steps to eradicate the culture of driving defenders around night clubs in Colombo under the influence of liquor,” said DIG Ajith Rohana.
The final rites of IP Ananda Sarathchandra were carried out at Borella, Kanatte on March 11 with full police honours. Many politicians including President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa paid their last respects to the Traffic OIC.
(- R.J.A.)