Sorrowful story of Ranga ... father of one child who died from lorry accident

Sorrowful story of Ranga ... father of one child who died from lorry accident

The sorrowful story which unfolds about thirty-four year old Ranga who  died from a lorry - lorry accident in Kandy last 6th while serving as a driver in a newspaper transport institution.

"We used to call Ranga 'teddy bear' and as a pet name. It was I who would wait for him until Saturday ... to cuddle his son and spend time in affection. But why did this tragedy happen to fall on this very

day?". It was in that manner that wife of K.T.D. Ranga began wailing about her husband's death, the latter of whom passed away in hospital having met with an accident near Kegalle Balika College on the morning hurs of last 5th.

The said accident took place while serving as a driver of a newspaper transport institution when the van driven by Ranga had struck another lorry parked by the roadside. Ranga who was hospitalised for two days finally passd away at the intensive care unit in Kandy hospital on the 7th. Ranga Gayan who was serving for a newspaper agent in Kandy had set off towards kandy last 4th towards midnight with the idea of delivering the weekend newspapers to selling-outlets as soon as possible. the accident happened when he had as usual delivered the newspapers from Pasyala town to their agents and had been on his way to Kealle after delivering newspapers to other selling-outlets.

According to what Ranga's wife, Ashnika Darshani (33) says, the lorry driven by Ranga had knocked against a fertilizer lorry parked near Kegalle Balika Vidyalaya. "that lorry had been there in an unprotected manner for over twenty four hours there. Maybe it had a technical fault. When I visited Ranga at hospital, he held me by the hand and said, 'aney ... I don't know what happened to me; I didn't see anything'. Can a big vehicle like that be parked in an unsafe manner for so many days? Whatever it is I lost my son's father". Asnika who was in tears when we met her at her home at 1/491, Meekanuwa, Ampitiya also had this to say: "It is eleven years for May 12th since we got married. Both of us have never ever engaged in a quarrel for this eleven years as such. Every day it was around 4 in the evening that he would leave home to deliver the newspapers. It is at about 5 in the evening that their vehicle leaves from Kandy. Ranga worked in that firm for about 6 years. Because of the night duties I did not like it very much. But because he won the hearts of those at his work-place and honestly, he could not leave that place. He enjoyed working there very much. Ranga used to cme home the following morning around 8. He would leave once again at about 4 in the evening. All of us would look forward till Saturday comes. Aney ... such a day would never dawn again for our family. It was when Kegalle police called me early Saturday morning that we came to know of the accident. Immediately we went to Kegalle. Aney, even at that moment he spoke well. He was then transferred to Kandy General Hospital". 

After being admitted to the intensive care uga passed away last 7th. Ashen Nethma is Ranga Gayan's only son. Ashen following his studies at St. Sylvester College in grade 5 is one of the clever students in the class. Ranga had been so taken up by exploits of his son in school. In fact he had been counting his fingers to attend the moment when his son was to be awarded status of prefect in a few more months. Small Ashen not being able to bear the demise of his father was getting closer and closer to his mother as the only protector of her in the future.

Mary Beatrice is Ranga Gayan's mother. She too broke down at the loss of her son, bringing to memories of Ranga. He never took liquor or cigarettes. He associated everyone without racial or religious discrimination. Proprietor of Kandy Jayakody Newspaper Transport establishment, Mr. J.M.K. Jayakody associated Ranga Gayan as an honest friend more than as an employee. "Ranga is in employment with us for a number of years. Newspapers of all companies are distributed from Pasyala to Matale by him. in such circumstances he delivers daily and weekend newspapers to about 60 agents. Though he was a driver, he kept close contact with most people in printing divisions and distribution of all newspaper companies. We lost a wonderful person", said Mr. Jayakody.

At all times what he tried was to deliver the newspaper to agents as soon as possible. At times he would go beyond his responsibilities and  would go to the printing distributing division and would lend a hand to them and thus won the hearts of everybody in that manner. With this accident, his purse, mobile phone, driving license and all other documents have been either robbed or are missing anyhow. On the one hand it is indeed disgusting to hear of something like this in a tragedy of this sort. Ranga who was born on September 17th, 1983 would have been thirty-four years of age at the time of his death; however he was beyond his age so to say and was a friend to everyone. When Ranga departed, he had nothing to take with him. What was left was the life he led as an exemplary character. Nishantha Bandara (42) who faced serious injuries being Ranga's lorry assistant was admitted to Kegalle Basic Hospital for treatment and later transferred to Kandy General Hospital. He who is a father of two children and living in Katugasthota is under treatment at the intensive care unit of Kandy General Hospital. One of his legs has been amputated and his condition is understood to be serious, news sources say.