Money matters most to greedy father and son

Sick patient left alone on dispensary doorstep as

The bus was plying on route number 121 from Illukkumbura to Balangoda. It was an owner-driven bus with the son of the owner functioning as the conductor.

The bus was full with all seats being occupied. Suddenly a passenger fell sick. With eyes opened wide, he was sweating and lost his speech. A passenger who was aghast of the scene cried out loud pleading the driver to stop the bus. The conductor, the son of the driver, then whispered in the ear of his father that a passenger had fallen ill and for him to stop the bus. The bus was stopped at Mahawelatenne. The patient who appeared to be in a serious condition was taken out of the bus and was placed on the doorstep of a private dispensary, unheeding the adjoining shop keepers warning that the dispensary was closed and not to keep the patient there unattended. But the driver ignored him and continued to drive the bus away.

W.K. Dhananjaya Kumara, the shop owner later complained to the police who had visited the scene. He informed the police that a passenger was brought to the door step of the dispensary and when he had told them that the dispensary was closed and the doctor in attendance would come only after 6.00 p.m, they had ignored his advice and left the sick person on the floor. He had observed the patient to be seriously ill he had phoned the Mawalatenna Hospital and informed

the position; they in return had alerted the police. The police had taken the patient to the hospital.

A fellow passenger of the bus giving evidence to the police had said that when they observed a passenger appearing to be faintish, the bus was stopped and the patient was carried to the nearby dispensary. The driver of the bus had said they had no time to wait until the dispensary was opened and had started the bus and left. The Mahawalatenna Hospital was only 200 metres away from the scene. The bus crew could have taken him to the hospital and admitted him; thereby his life would have been saved. The spokesperson also said the bus crew were keen on boarding the passengers at the next halt before the following bus could board them. This was a case of greediness among the father and the son who operated the bus. They were in pursuit of the rupees to be collected as bus fare, ignoring the plight of a passenger who was left alone.

By the time the police arrived at the scene, the innocent man had already passed away.

The deceased had been identified as Lionel Premasiri (52) of Dangasmandiya, Balangoda. He had been employed at the Maga Institute as a store keeper. He was the father of two daughters and one son.

Police had arrested the driver and the conductor for being negligent and for not assisting the sick person to be taken to a hospital. They had been produced in courts and the bus also taken into custody by the police.