News
Utuwankanda expedition goes awry after 27-year-old falls to her death
View(s):Pix and text by L.B. Senaratne
Virashmi Kodituwakku, the 27-year-old assistant lecturer who tragically died after falling off Utuwankanda in Mawanella, during an expedition was a founder of the Peradeniya University’s Explorers Club, and was no novice at hiking and mountain climbing.
Her fellow club members said she had climbed mountains and mountain ranges such as Bathalagoda, Arangala and Hanthana.
University of Peradeniya Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof. Mudajith said one of the most important guidelines of Explorers Club expeditions and hikes was for senior members to lead and juniors to follow them.
Virashmi Kodituwakku
He also said the university would look into future expeditions and hikes to keep the club members safe. The 57-member Explorers Club had undertaken a trip to Utuwankanda last Sunday.
Senior club members were told to wear maroon shirts so junior members could identify them, and senior members were expected to lead the way on the hike while juniors followed.
Ms. Kodituwakku did not want to take part in the hike as she was recovering from an elbow surgery, and she stayed back at the foot of the mountain with another club member.
However, it is learnt that the other member had suggested they climb the mountain using another route and Ms. Kodituwakku had agreed to do so. While using the other route, Ms. Kodituwakku had reportedly lost her footing and had fallen down several hundred feet.
Her fellow club members had called the 1990 emergency number and an ambulance had responded immediately. She was taken to the nearest hospital but was pronounced dead before admission.
Medical reports had later revealed that she had incurred serious head injuries during her fall, resulting in her immediate death. Mawanella Police Chief Sergeant Vipula conducted investigations into the girl’s death. The Magisterial inquiry was conducted by Acting Magistrate W. M. Jayanath. The postmortem and medical reports were done by Mawanella Judicial Medical Officer Ranga Gunawardene.
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