A 16-year-old schoolboy has died after falling from grease pole (Lissana Gaha) while helping prepare for an Avurudu festival scheduled to be held in Elpitiya today (17 April).

The tragic incident took place at the playground near Siriwijayaramaya Temple in Amugoda, Pitigala, during festival preparations. According to Pitigala Police, the boy fell from a 40-foot-tall grease pole and later succumbed to his injuries after being admitted to the Elpitiya Base Hospital.

The victim had recently sat for the GCE Ordinary Level examination and was awaiting results. A post-mortem is to be conducted at the Elpitiya Base Hospital, while further investigations are underway by Pitigala Police.