Sri Lanka, Sept. 12 -- The owner of the bus involved in the recent Ella tragedy, which killed 15 people and seriously injured many others, spent more on decorating the bus than its actual value, but had not properly maintained it, Nuwara Eliya District Chief Motor Vehicle Inspector Jaliya Bandara said.

During the investigation, the bus owner revealed that he purchased the vehicle for Rs. 5.5 million but spent around Rs. 7 million on decorations. He explained that the investment was due to high demand for visually appealing buses used for recreational trips.

However, Bandara said inspections revealed that despite the elaborate decorations, the bus had not been properly maintained. A grease leak had developed in the rear hub of the brake ...