Two persons died after the bus in which they were travelling went down a precipice and into a stream at Pathulpaana on the Ratnapura -Embilipitiya main road on Saturday.
Police said some of the 44 passengers including the driver and the conductor who sustained injuries were admitted to the Ratnapura and Kahawatte hospitals.
According to Police, the accident had occurred at 2.45 a.m. last Saturday due to the negligence of the driver who was feeling sleepy and had asked the conductor to drive the bus. However, after taking over the steering wheel of the bus, the conductor too had fallen asleep, which had resulted in the bus veering off the road and going down the precipice into a stream in Pathulpaana.
One of the passengers,identified as Ratnayake Diyapotha Sumanadasa (61) of Ambahagahena, Urubokka was pronunced dead on admission to hospital.
Police Also found the body of a woman, identified as Walakadage Karunaawathie (60) of Poththadeniya, Urubokka which was pinned under the bus.
According to Police sources, the bus driver and conductor sustained minor injuries and were to be produced before the Ratnapura Magistrate’s Courts.
Further investigations are being conducted the Ratnapura Police Traffic Branch OIC.
Some of the injured people in the accident.
