• 3 of the deceased foreign, 4 hospitalised with serious injuries
• 4 dead and 3 injured in lorry-van head-on collision   

Seven Buddhist monks lost their lives, while several other monks were injured in a cable car accident at the Na Uyana Monastery (Nā Uyana Āranya Senāsanaya) at Pansiyagama in Melsiripura. 

The injured monks continue to receive treatment at the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital (TH) and the Polgahawela Divisional Hospital (DH).

The accident reportedly occurred at around 9 p.m. on Wednesday (24), as the monks were returning to their meditation huts after completing a religious ceremony held at the offering ground (Pūjā Bhūmiya). At the time of the accident, 13 monks were inside the cable car. Among them, seven monks lost their lives. 

The injured monks were admitted to the Kurunegala and Polgahawela hospitals for treatment. It is also reported that two monks managed to jump out of the cable car at the time of the accident, sustaining only minor injuries and thereby saving their lives, while four others suffered serious injuries and are currently hospitalised. It has been reported that among the deceased monks, three were foreign nationals, and their bodies have since been placed at the Gokarella DH. The bodies of the other monks have been placed at the Kurunegala TH. Police suspect that the accident occurred due to the breaking of a support cable on the cable car that was carrying the monks up a hill and the cable car subsequently falling down.

Meanwhile, four individuals have died and three others have been injured in a head-on collision between a lorry and a van in the Thalawa-Mirigama junction along the Kurunegala-Anuradhapura main road, the Police stated. The accident occurred early last morning (25). 

The lorry was traveling from Anuradhapura towards Kurunegala, while the van was traveling in the opposite direction. Seven individuals, including the drivers of both the vehicles were admitted to the Thalawa DH and the Anuradhapura TH. One of the individuals who was hospitalised following the accident has succumbed to his injuries. Among the passengers of the van, three have lost their lives.