Two different incidents; one life lost
As 2018 nears end, the sports arena in Sri Lanka came out with two disturbing incidents, involving two promising sportsmen.
On Friday evening former Sri Lanka Under-19, St. Peter’s College and current middle order batsman of Ragama Cricket Club, Akshu Fernando met with an accident, reportedly while travelling back home from training. Later on the same day news broke out of former Wesley College captain and current forward of CR&FC, Kokila Sambandapperuma, losing his precious life, due to an accident.
Sambaddapperuma, a key player during Wesley’s comeback to the top division in School’s Rugby, was 24 when at the time of his demise. According to reports the promising rugby player had died after an electric elevator malfunctioned and collapsed at a night club in Nawam Mawatha, Colombo 2, while the Police has already begun an investigation into the incident. Sambaddapperuma has been in good form this season as he and his team mates at CR&FC were enjoying a week’s off from the rugby field after the Dialog Rugby League ended its first round for the seasonal holidays.
In contrast Akshu Fernando has been hit by a train while travelling back home after training. The team have had a beach training session at Mt. Lavinia on Friday after failing to book a ground and the accident had occurred while the team members were crossing the dual railway track on their way back.
Fernando had been late to walk back and he had been on his mobile phone when onlookers had alerted the cricketer about an oncoming train. Fernando had jumped the first track to evade the train that came on the first track but at the same time another train was oncoming on the second track in the opposite direction. He was hit and thrown over for about 20 metres where he landed on a hut that had iron sheets.
Fernando was rushed to the General Hospital and later was learnt that he had one of his legs fractured at three different spots after being hit by the train. In addition he was hit severely while landing on to the hut, injuring his head. Fernando had to undergo a surgery and was pronounced out of danger, but it is said that it may take a while for him to make a return to cricket.