Balasunderam Ajith of 25 years and who was in his third year was in their group and was fortunate enough to save his life. This is how he explained the incident: "The seven of us are studying at Sabaragamuwa University in the Geology Faculty. The seven of us lodge in the same room. All of us
are residents of Jaffna. As last 10th was a holiday we thought of going and seeing Belihul Oya Pahanthudawa Ella. As such, we set off in a bus plying across Balangoda, Galagama, Landuyaya and reached close to Pahanthudawa Ella around 9 in the morning.
Six of us were having a bath on the top region of Pahanthudawa Ella. One friend was on land without taking a bath. Pahanthudawa Ella flows from one particular spot. Five of our friends made an effort to cover the flow of the flow of water with their hands and body. I in fact was swimming on a spot above it. All of a sudden the five friends who were blocking the gush of water dropped down. Only I could swim. I shouted at the friend who was on land to call somebody nearby. In the meantime two friends who fell down managed to cling on to a protruding ledge of a rock. I quickly took them ashore. Later, getting together with people around we took the rest of the three friends to shore and rushed them to Balangoda Basic Hospital in Imbulgoda Provincial Council vehicles. Workers of the private electricity company closeby too came for our assistance to take our friends ashore. Anyhow about forty five minutes passed after they were taken into hospital. Doctors in the hospital and their staff made a great deal of effort in this connection ... but it was to no avail. All three of them had died".
The three deceased in this manner are Saravanabhavan Kopishan (24) of Wattakotu Jaffna, Gopal Krishnan Saranga (25) of Nanpur, Jaffna and Sevalathnami Tishan (25), a resident of Enivel Junction, Jaffna ... all students of third year in the Geology Faculty of Sabaragamuwa University, police say. The three of them had died as a result of falling into the Pahanthudawa pit and drowning. Police say that these three students had lost their footing with the gush of water above the Pahanthudawa pit.
When these students had fallen into the Pahanthudawa pit and drowned, the other students had informed the neighbourhood and police and in that instance the neighbours and police had made a great effort and somehow taken the three students ashore and admitted them to Balangoda Basic Hospital.
The verdict of Balangoda Additional Coroner Mr. S.M. I.D. Meegasdeniya who took into consideration the medical report of the three students who died was they had died as a result of asphyxia. This spot is not a suitable location for bathing and the coroner expressed his disappointment because the relevant authorities have not erected any boards to indicate about the risk involved there. Announcing his verdict what the coroner said was that over twenty persons had drowned at that spot and that those who come with an intention of bathing should exercise more caution in going to bathe in outside places.
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