The police said the bus involved in the Manampitiya accident last evening did not possess a valid license for passenger transport. Instead, it is alleged that the operators had been utilizing a non-regular license issued by the Eastern Provincial Council.

The death toll from the tragic bus accident in the Polonnaruwa Manampitiya area reached 10, with several others injured after a private passenger transport bus overturned into a stream from the Kotaleya Bridge.

According to the Police Media Unit, 41 individuals have been hospitalized for their injuries, while one woman was among the fatalities.

The accident occurred when a bus, operating from Kaduruwela to Kattankudi, lost control and veered off the road, toppling into the Kotaleya Oya.

Eyewitnesses recount the horrifying incident, with one survivor sharing their experience: "The bus was traveling from Kaduruwela to Kalmunai with approximately 50 passengers, including about ten standing. Around 7:30 am, the bus was traveling at high speed and suddenly stopped when approaching the bridge. It then plunged into the stream. I was seated near the window and managed to escape first. The police arrived within 5 to 10 minutes, and many passengers were found unconscious."

 bus involved in the accident did not possess a valid license for passenger transport. Instead, it is alleged that the operators had been utilizing a non-regular license issued by the Eastern Provincial Council.