Soldiers attached to the Matara 3rd Gemunu Watch today rescued two little children who were thrown 30 feet down the crocodile-infested Nilwala River from the Mahanama Bridge by their father.

A four-year-old girl and her two-year-old sister were thrown into the Nilwala River by their father around 11.00 am today.

The army personnel
on duty at a nearby security post rushed to the scene after hearing people shouting. The suspect by then had fled the place.

The Army said the people had shouted but no one had volunteered to jump into the river and rescue the two children. Then the soldiers had jumped into the river and managed to rescue the children. The children were rushed to the Matara General Hospital and according to hospital authorities the children are out of danger.

The soldiers who rescued the children were Lance Corporal S.S Mannage, Private E. De Silva, Private H.Madusanka and Engineer Corp soldier H.Pushpakumara.

According to the police a dispute between the father and the mother of the children had led to the incident. The mother of the children had earlier lodged a complaint against her husband at the Dikwella police saying that he was continuously harassing her. The complaint was scheduled to be examined today. In the meantime the two children had been living with their father.

He had told his wife that he would keep the two children at a relative’s house and then come to the Dickwella police station.

However he had not turned up and later she was informed to come to the Matara Hospital where the two children were receiving treatment after they were rescued by the soldiers.

A special team from the Matara police led by Matara SSP Deshabandu Tennakoon is investigating to arrest the suspect under the directions of Southern Province DIG Chandana Wickramaratne. (Supun Dias, Dharshana Sanjeewa and Krishan Jeewaka Jayaruk)