by Norman Palihawadana
The Peliyagoda school van tragedy claimed a third life, of eleven-year-old Heshani Nirosha Pinto, studying in Year 6 of St. Joseph’s Girls’ School, Grandpass.

She was the second student victim of the accident, where a bus collided with a school van driven by a school master of St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena.

The school master’s son, Theekshana Jayatilleke (19) was killed on the spot and Udeshika Sudarshini (08) an Year 3 student also of St Joseph’s Girls’ School died on admission to hospital on Friday, in the accident that shocked all of Ragama.

At little Nirosha’s residence at Kurukulawa, Ragama On Monday, her friends in school were paying their last respects to her in long queues.

Her weeping mother Mrs. L. Paranavithana said that on the day of the tragedy, Nirosha had turned back that morning on her way to the school van to give her a kiss. When I told her not to turn back as it was a bad sign Nirosha had explained: ‘How can I go without kissing you Ammi’. "Everyday, she kissed me before she left for school," Nirosha’s weeping mother broke down.

Nirosha’s father said he used to drop her to the school van daily and added that she was very intelligent. "She was to receive a badge as a Little Friend in school on that day," he said as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Large crowds had gathered at the home of little Udeshika who was also killed in the accident.

The funeral procession led by school friends in uniform, teachers were heading to the Kirimatiyagara Cemetery in Ragama.

Theekshana, Udeshika and Nirosha lost their lives. Theekshana’s father fractured his legs. He was helped from hospital to attend his son’s funeral on Sunday.