Parliamentarians mourn death of State Minister Sanath Nishantha

Parliamentarians mourned the death of state Minister Sanath Nishantha, 48 who was killed in an accident along with his police bodyguard in the early hours today  on the Katunayake Expressway.

He was returning to Colombo after attending two weddings in Chillaw and Kurunegala.

The State Minister of Water Supply was last seen actively defending the government during the presentation of the  Online Safety bill taken up in Parliament and Wednesday evening. He was present in Parliament until about 6.30 p.m.

A Police officer attached to the Expressway police said that the incident had occurred around 1.00 am today, at the R-11 post Colombo -Katunayake expressway. The area comes under the  Kandana Police area.

 He added The Minister’s vehicle had rammed a container which was driving ahead and resulting in the accident. The vehicles front portion had been smashed due to the accident.

Police who visited the scene said it appeared that the driver had tried to avoid hitting the container after witnessing the vehicle at the last moment, but had failed and hit the left hand side railing of the Expressway thereby the left handside of the vehicle was badly damaged.

Minister Nishantha was in the front passenger seat while the security officer was in the rear seat.

The State Minister and the personal security officer as well as driver of the vehicle were rushed to Ragama hospital but both the State Minister and the security officer had passed away while the driver of the vehicle is currently obtaining treatment for injuries sustained.

The officer in charge of Kandana police, Gamini Hewawitharana told Timesonline that police believe that the negligence of the state Minister’s driver had caused the accident.

However, the Express way also has an issue of poor lighting as the street lamps are not in operation. This is after drug addicts had cut off the cables some 13 months back and the Expressway authorities and the Ceylon Electricity Board officials were still discussing the re-installation of the cables.

The driver of the container had been arrested by the police. The police said that further investigations are under way.

The Director of the Ragama Hospital, Dr Samith Liyanage Ranweera said that the post mortem inquiry of the late state Minister Sanath Nishantha was held at the hospital and the body was released.

At the post mortem inquiry it was revealed that the Minister had succumbed to multiple injuries caused due to an accident.

He added that the condition of the Driver of Sanath Nishantha’s vehicle is not serious and he is currently obtaining treatment after admission.  

 Meanwhile Jagath Priyankara, a candidate in the 2020 Parliamentary Election, is expected to take over as MP following the untimely death of State Minister Sanath Nishantha.

Jagath Priyankara is a member of the National Freedom Front (Jathika Nidahas Peramuna), headed by MP Wimal Weerawansa.

Several government ministers and MPs visited the Ragama hospital.

Minister Prasanna Ranatunga told the media that he was one of the members who was very loyal to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “He was also a strength to the party and dedicated all his time for the party.”

He said though the Minister was returning to Colombo as his house located in the Puttalam district had been burnt down during the Aragalaywa protests in 2022.