This tragic incident was reported early this morning (03) from the Meepilimana area in Nuwara Eliya. Having arrived in the area about three days ago, they were said to have been constructing a new tourist hotel or resort in Meepilimana, Mihindupura.
Nuwara Eliya Division Assistant Superintendent of Police 01 Chandana Basnayake stated that they had rented a nearby house to stay temporarily until the hotel construction was completed. The ASP confirmed that they had gone to sleep after lighting a barbecue stove inside the room to cope with the severe cold, and died after inhaling the toxic fumes emitted by it.
No response to phone calls from relatives
Relatives had called the couple's phones several times early this morning, but received no response. As a result, they alerted the local Grama Niladhari. The Grama Niladhari subsequently visited the house to inspect, discovered the couple dead, and immediately alerted the Nanu Oya Police.
Details on the deceased
The deceased man was confirmed to be a ship captain by profession, identified as 56-year-old Manjula Ranathunga Dodamthenna, a resident of Mathuwala, Katugastota. The deceased woman was reported to be 49-year-old Wanigasinghe Mudiyanselage Diluka Kumari Wanigasinghe, a resident of Balumgahathenna, Dodam-owita.
However, other reports received from the Nanu Oya Police also noted that they were a 52-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman residing in Avissawella, and that there was no confirmation they were legally married. Nuwara Eliya Acting Magistrate Vijaya Wickrama visited the scene and conducted an inquest.
What happens next?
The Acting Magistrate ordered that the bodies be referred to the Judicial Medical Officer at the Nuwara Eliya District General Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
