Tragic fall from Lotus Tower

A police officer in civvies carries the school bag of the girl who fell to death, while two other officers follow him after preliminary investigations. - Pic by Pradeep Pathirana

• 15-year-old girl from Colombo International School falls to death in suspected suicide
• Girl came alone, her school bag found by police
• Her body was found on the concrete rooftop of third floor

A female student from Colombo International School fell to her death from the observation deck of the Lotus Tower in Colombo last evening, the police said. The police said an investigation is now in progress to ascertain whether it is an attempted suicide or not.

The victim is 15 years old and was in Grade 11.

Police added that a pair of shoes and a school bag were found on the deck from where the girl fell.

The Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company (Private) Limited confirmed that, according to CCTV footage, the girl had fallen from the 29th floor of the tower and landed on the concrete rooftop of the third-floor area of the Lotus Tower. 

The girl had apparently come alone and bought a ticket to reach the observation deck. The police found examination papers inside her school bag left behind.

After the incident was reported, the third floor was designated as restricted for visitors.

Two other deaths and injuries had been reported earlier at the Lotus Tower. A 19-year-old youth from Kilinochchi died after falling from the 13th floor on June 8, 2018, while engaging in construction work of the tower. In another incident, an American sustained injuries during a Base Jump event at the Lotus Tower on May 13, 2024, after delaying the opening of his parachute. Following the foreigner’s accident, the management of the Lotus Tower focused on improving safety measures to prevent such mishaps in the future.