Questions mount over teens’ fatal fall at Altair

• Both students were classmates at CIS   
• The students had arrived at Altair at around 2.40 pm, in a three wheeler, wearing their school uniforms  
• Their bodies were discovered several hours after they entered the building
• There were no CCTV cameras installed beyond the open staircase  
• CCTV footage showed their facial expressions and movements
• Bodies recovered from 3rd floor   

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya  

The Kompanna Veediya police are investigating the deaths of two 15-year-old students, a male and a female, from the Colombo International School (CIS), to determine whether the tragic incident was a result of suicide or a tragic accident.  

“The police are investigating the incident. According to CCTV footage which showed their facial expressions and movements, it is still uncertain whether this was a suicide,” Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said.  

Investigations revealed that the two students fell from the 67th floor of a residential area of the apartment building and were found on the 3rd floor on Tuesday evening.  

Both students were classmates at CIS and had arrived at the Altair apartments building in Kompanna Veediya on Tuesday at around 2.40 pm, in a three wheeler, wearing their school uniforms.  

According to investigators, the boy and girl had approached the security guards at Altair at the entrance and had wanted to enter to visit a friend who resided on the 61st floor. After calling the said apartment, the security guard had alerted them that no one was present in the apartment at the time, but the guards allowed the boy and girl to enter as they were frequent visitors to the apartment complex.   

The children had then made their way to the 5th floor, changed their attire and used the gym. After a while, investigators said that according to CCTV footage, the boy had gone back down to collect a parcel which was delivered on a motorbike and went back up to the 5th floor.  

At around 4.30, investigators said that the two had made their way to the 67th floor of the Altair apartment building as that floor had the emergency exit.  

According to CCTV footage seen by investigators, the two had opened the door of the emergency exit and sat on a four foot wall which was closely located following which the incident took place.   

Sources said that the deceased students had a friend living on the 61st floor, who reportedly provided an access card to the boy. However, investigations are ongoing to confirm these details.  

Altair has 70 floors, with access restricted beyond the 67th floor for outsiders. Sources said that the victims’ shoes were recovered near the open staircase leading to the emergency exit and their bodies were recovered from the 3rd floor which is the area that the AC’s were stored.  

However, according to the investigations, there were no CCTV cameras installed beyond the open staircase, and it remains unclear how they fell to the 3rd floor. Their bodies were discovered several hours after they entered the building, with no eyewitnesses to their fall or jump.  

Police said that a special team has been appointed to probe into the fall.