Senior Lecturer Dr. Janaki D. Jayawardena dies in tragic accident

Dr. Janaki D. Jayawardena, a 59-year-old Senior Lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Colombo, tragically lost her life in a motor accident at her residence on Sumanarama Road, Kohuwala.

According to the police, the accident occurred on Friday (March 7) at noon when Dr. Jayawardena, her son, and her daughter-in-law attempted to restart a car that had been immobilized due to a technical fault.

The vehicle had been parked on a sloped area near a house, and to prevent it from rolling, stones had been placed in front of its wheels.

As her son attempted to start the car, Dr. Jayawardena and her daughter-in-law proceeded to remove the stones.

However, the vehicle’s brakes failed, causing it to move forward. Unable to move away in time, Dr. Jayawardena was knocked down and tragically run over by the car.

She was rushed to the Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Kalubowila but succumbed to her injuries.

Dr. Janaki D. Jayawardena was a respected academic who had conducted extensive research in gender studies. She earned her PhD from the University of York in the United Kingdom.

Kohuwala Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.