Olympic Silver medalist Susanthika returns home from hospital, following assault
Injured Susanthika at Gampaha hospital. Pic by Thilakaratne Dissanayake
Sri Lanka’s sprint queen and Silver medalist at the Sydney Olympic Games – Susanthika Jayasinghe was rushed to Gampaha Hospital following injuries she received in an alleged assault by her estranged spouse Dhammika Nandakumara yesterday morning.
Nandakumara, is a former national athlete who was her personal coach cum manager, earlier.
The estranged couple had been having their differences for some time.
Susanthika (40), mother of two, was visiting a relative in Weliveriya, when the incident occurred.
Following the alleged assault, according to OIC Rohana Munasinghe, Dammika was arrested by the Weliveriya Police and produced before Gampaha acting magistrate Nayana Wijesinghe who enlarged him on surety bail of Rs 200,000. The case will be called on June 23.
When the Sunday Times inquired from OIC Munasinghe, he said, “Yesterday early morning, Susanthika lodged a complaint with the Police that her husband, following a heated argument, had assaulted her with a shovel, while her vehicle too was damaged. No sooner the complaint was made, the suspect was arrested, while Police admitted the injured Susanthika to Gampaha Hospital.”
Gampaha Hospital spokesman when contacted, said, “Susanthika has been admitted to ward 8, and underwent several tests to ascertain any internal injuries. Meanwhile, Susanthika has requested she be transferred to Colombo National Hospital, as she resides at Anderson Flats, Narahenpita. However, by yesterday evening she had been discharged from Gampaha Hospital.”
Susanthika and Dammika had been living apart for some time, as they have had differences regarding some properties they both owned. Susanthika had been staying over with a relative in Weliveriya at the time of the incident. Yesterday early morning there had been repeated knocks on the front door. Susanthika came to know that it was her husband. She had opened the door and realised he was under the influence of liquor. Then Dammika provoked an argument and started to assault Susanthika. Suddenly he had grabbed a shovel and hit her, and also damaged the windscreen of Susanthika’s vehicle with it. During the ensuing melee Dammika had fallen into a nearby coconut pit, at which time Susanthika had rushed to Weliveriya police station and lodged a complaint.
Later yesterday evening, when the Sunday Times spoke to her, she said, “I was discharged from Gampaha Hospital yesterday evening. The incident is over now and I don’t wish to discuss it any further. As for the incident itself, I intend pursuing legal action soon.”