ZCZC
BFF-23
SRILANKA-BRITAIN-INVESTIGATION
Sri Lanka lifts travel ban on grieving British groom
COLOMBO, May 15, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A Briton whose bride died on their
honeymoon two days after arriving in Sri Lanka will be allowed to return home
after a court lifted a travel ban Wednesday.
Khilan Chandaria was expected to leave Sri Lanka on Thursday following a
magistrate’s decision to put off a full inquest into the death of Usheila
Patel, 31, until August.
A court official told AFP that that Galle magistrate Pavithra Pathirana
revoked the travel ban as Chandaria was not regarded as a suspect in the
death of his wife.
Chandaria, 33, was in court with three lawyers.
“The forensic reports were not available today. Therefore the inquest
proceedings were postponed until August 7,” the official told from Galle,
south of Colombo.
The couple checked into the Amari Galle hotel on April 23, four days after
their wedding, and were taken ill two days later.
Amari spokesman Russell Cool told AFP last week that the couple initially
declined medical treatment at a local hospital, but asked for help a few
hours later.
Patel died at the hospital.
“The couple consumed a light meal prepared by the hotel, as did other
guests at the same time and who remain fine,” Cool told AFP.
Arrangements have already been made to repatriate Patel’s remains to
Britain, the court official said.
BSS/AFP/RY/14:05 hrs