Anoma Sriyakanthi Wickremesinghe, a teacher attached to Galnewa Central College, would have perhaps never imagined that last Monday (June 12) would have been an ill-fated day for her and her little daughter since she had been driving safely along the Talawa-Moragoda road as usual during the past five years. The area is however notorious for rampaging wild jumbos which she herself had witnessed very often.
“Normally I take care when I am driving the vehicle. That day I was taking my three-year old daughter Umeli too to drop her at our Maha Gedera as she could not be left alone at home which made me take extra care. It was at 5.45 in the morning and my daughter was in the rear seat of the vehicle.
“As we passed Moragoda and moved ahead a rampaging elephant came forward; though I applied brakes but in vain. The vehicle knocked against the jumbo instantly which fell on my car causing extensive damage to it,” a nervous Anoma said, heaving a sigh of relief when she was surrounded by villagers.
The villagers, after much effort, rescued Anoma and her fear-stricken little daughter who were trapped inside the fully damaged vehicle. Luckily the child escaped unhurt while her mother was admitted to Talawa Hospital and later transferred to Anuradhapura General Hospital for further treatment.
Her husband is a teacher attached to St. Joseph’s College, Anuradhapura. Meanwhile, the residents who have renewed their protest against the authorities complaining that their lives are in jeopardy appeal to the wildlife authorities and others concerned to take urgent action to ward off this peril which has devastated their lives and property.