Sripathy Sooriyarachchi is no more

Sunil C.Perera in Colombo
Former minister , a reputed lawyer and a retired Navy officer Sripathy Sooriyarachchi and two of his body guards died due to a road accident, around 1.15.pm. . According to an eye witness, who wishes to remain anonymous, the jeep they were traveling was driven at a high speed and collided with a tree at the Medagama,Galgamuwa. The witness attributed the accident due to rain and slippery condition of the road they were traveling. The vehicle was travelling from Anuradhapura to Colombo on the route via Thambuththegama, said the sources.
Earlier he was a government minister and close associate of Chandrika Bandaranayake who played a wital role against the UNP .Later he was saked from his minister portfolio by the President Mahinda Rajapaksha .Mr .Sooriyarachchi and Mr.Mangala Samaraweera later joined with the opposition and also formed SLFP - M wing.
Two of the MPs bodyguards have also been killed and another three who were in the vehicle have suffered serious injuries. The injured have been admitted to Thambuththegama hospital, the sources added. Meanwhile the hospital sources say the post mortem examinations will be held today at the Tabuttegama hospital.A number of government and opposition parliamentarians are now in Thabuttegama .