Ampara tractor incident: four including Madrasa principal and teacher arrested

The principal and a teacher from the Madrasa in Ninthavur, as well as two who had served as assistants to the tractor driver have been arrested in connection with the investigation into the incident where a tractor transporting a group of school children was swept away by floodwaters in Karaitivu, Ampara.

Police said that the suspects are to be produced before the Sammanthurai Magistrate’s Court.

It is reported that the principal in question had instructed the school boys to go back home on the tractor after school, as there were no buses available due to flooding on November 26. Bus services had been suspended on the route due to the floods. 

The principal had also reportedly provided money to the students to cover transportation costs for the tractor.

In such a background, police investigations have revealed that the principal had given instructions to take the children to their homes in the tractor, which was being used as a passenger transport vehicle operating for a fee.

Furthermore, it has been revealed that the army had advised against using the tractor for transportation, warning that the road was unsafe due to the floodwaters.

Accordingly, the incident occurred when the tractor, which was carrying a total of 13 individuals, including 11 schoolboys, the driver, and an assistant, toppled due to strong currents while passing through flood waters. 

Police had initially confirmed that five children had been rescued while another six students were reported missing. 

The six missing children are aged between 12 and 16 years while they are residents of Sammanthurai, according to police.

So far, the bodies of five of the students have been recovered, and operations are underway to find one more student.

Additionally, the bodies of the tractor driver and another individual have been recovered as well.