A devastating road accident in Thalawa, Anuradhapura, has left one school student dead and nearly fifty others injured after a private bus overturned near the Jayaganga Junction earlier today (10). The tragedy has plunged the quiet town into grief as emergency responders rushed to save dozens of victims, many of them schoolchildren who had been returning from an educational seminar.
According to police, the private bus had been traveling from Thalawa toward Nochchiyagama when it lost control and overturned on a narrow road near Jayaganga Junction. Initial investigations reveal that the driver may have attempted to give way to an oncoming motorcycle when the vehicle veered off course and toppled down a five-foot slope. The force of the crash shattered windows and flung several passengers out of their seats, while others were trapped inside until villagers and rescue teams arrived.
The Thalawa Police confirmed that among the injured were students preparing for both the Advanced Level and Ordinary Level examinations. These students had attended a seminar organized by the local Zonal Education Office and were on their way home when the tragedy struck. Police Media Spokesperson ASP F.U. Wootler stated that approximately fifty passengers were on board, with several sustaining severe injuries. Many were rushed to the Thalawa, Thambuttegama, and Anuradhapura hospitals for emergency treatment, while one victim, a young student, succumbed to injuries despite frantic efforts to save her.
Medical officials at the Thambuttegama Hospital said that many of the victims suffered fractures, deep cuts, and internal injuries. Several students remain under observation, and one is reported to be in critical condition at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes as villagers rushed to pull victims from the wreckage before police and ambulances arrived. “The bus tried to move aside to let a motorbike pass, but it suddenly slipped off the road. Within seconds, it was upside down,” one witness said.
Residents from nearby villages, along with police and military personnel, joined the rescue operation, transporting victims in private vehicles before ambulances could reach the site. Local authorities have now launched a full investigation into the cause of the accident, including whether the driver was speeding or if poor road conditions contributed to the tragedy.
The Thalawa Police confirmed that the driver has been taken into custody for questioning. Preliminary evidence suggests that the road’s narrow width and lack of guardrails may have been major factors. Police are also assessing whether the bus exceeded its passenger limit, as reports indicate over forty people were on board.
The incident has reignited public concern over road safety standards in rural areas, particularly involving privately owned buses that frequently transport students. Community leaders have urged the government to improve rural road infrastructure and enforce stricter vehicle maintenance and driver training protocols.
For now, the quiet town of Thalawa mourns the loss of a young student whose life was cut short on what should have been an ordinary journey home. Grieving parents, injured classmates, and teachers gathered at the hospital, praying for the recovery of the wounded and justice for the lives torn apart by a moment of carelessness.
