A medical school has paid tribute to one its tutors after he was killed in a collision with a bus in Oxford Street .
Dr Chesmal Siriwardhana died shortly after the accident in the early hours of Sunday (April 9).
The director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, based in Bloomsbury, Camden, has spoken of the university’s shock and loss.
Professor Peter Piot revealed Dr Siriwardhana, 38, was an associate professor in the Department of Population Health, who joined the school just last year.
He said: “We are deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Dr Chesmal Siriwardhana .
“Chesmal joined the school in 2016 and was a highly regarded researcher and tutor in global mental health.
“Through his work on armed conflict, migration and mental health, he was at the forefront of some of the major public health challenges of the day.”
Dr Siriwardhana, who lived in Greenwich and was originally from Sri Lanka, was pronounced dead in Oxford Street, near the junction with Harewood Place, shortly after 2am.
The bus driver stopped at the scene and is assisting police with their inquiries.
Officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
Paying further tribute to Dr Siriwardhana, Prof Piot added: “His important research helped to improve our understanding of the mental health needs of people affected by conflict, particularly in Sri Lanka, and which services are most effective in supporting them.
“Chesmal was a deeply valued friend, colleague and mentor, and he will be greatly missed.
“Our sincere condolences go to his family and friends.”
On his Twitter page, Dr Siriwardhana describes himself as a “mental health researcher, academic and a science communicator”.
Next of kin have been informed, and a post-mortem examination which took place at Westminster Mortuary on Tuesday (April 11) failed to establish a formal cause of death.
Anyone who witnessed the collision, at around 2am, or has any information should contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit at Merton Traffic Garage on 020 8543 5157 or via Twitter @MetCC.
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