Child born en route to Sri Pada

By Ranjith Rajapakse and Gamini Bandara  

A pregnant woman in a group of pilgrims to Sri Padasthana on Saturday night (11) had delivered a child at Indikatupana on Sri Pada Pilgrims route. Other women in the group had helped her in the delivery.  

Officers of Indikatupana police post, on the instructions of OIC Nallathanniya polce CI. E.A.P.Wanigasekara had taken steps to carry her with the infant safely on a stretcher to Nallathanniya and from their by ‘Suwa Seriya’ ambulance to Dikoya base hospital.  A spokesman for the hospital said the mother and child were getting on well.   

Police said a heavy influx of pilgrims was experienced during the weekend holidays and that it had created a huge rush on the Sri Pada route Hundreds of pilgrims who were caught halfway up on the pilgrims route had failed to reach the upper compound had been compelled to return without paying homage to the Sri Pada.