Parents mourn loss of two children in Kochchikade bomb blast
A couple in Wellampitiya lost both their children in the Kochchikade bomb blast on Easter Sunday.
Medha Thathsarini aged 23 and Imash Thiwanka aged 19, perished in the explosion.
They were the only offspring of S.N. Sirimanne and his wife, W. Shriyani. It was revealed that the two youth had gone to church on Easter day to fulfill a vow.
“We only had these two. They went to church to fulfill a vow. Even though we are Buddhists, we visit the church quite often. After what happened, the whole house is lonely now. It is difficult to endure this amount of sadness.” said Sirimanne.
Medha Thathsarini was an External student at the University of Kelaniya and Imash Thiwanka was an Advanced Level student at Siddhartha College. Both youth were much adored figures in their community, said their father.
Mr. Sirimanne reflected on how close his two children were to each other. He said that it was poetic, that his son and daughter, who went everywhere together, made their final journey together as well.
“We protected our children as if they were our own eyes. We educated them. But we did not think that something like this would ever happen.”
Mr. Sirimanne realised his children were no more, as he and his wife discovered their children’s bodies at the morgue, after his attempts at getting through to them on their mobile phones and searching for them at the bomb site and at the hospital, proved futile.
A large gathering, including friends and relatives of the siblings were in attendance at their funeral held recently.
“We only had these two. They went to church to fulfill a vow. Even though we are Buddhists, we visit the church quite often. After what happened, the whole house is lonely now. It is difficult to endure this amount of sadness.” said Sirimanne.