The Sri Lanka Police have arrested 110 persons for driving under the influence of alcohol during multiple raids conducted across Sri Lanka yesterday.

According to the Police, 3202 persons were arrested for other traffic offences and 25 individuals for reckless driving.

The arrests were made following the inspection of 25,870 persons during Police raids conducted to curb crime and drug-related activities in Sri Lanka. 

Among those arrested, 23 individuals were wanted for various crimes, while 710 were taken into custody on suspicion.

The Police said 210 persons against whom warrants were issued and 161 individuals against whom open warrants were issued were also arrested. (Newswire)

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The driver of a ‘Sisuseriya’ school bus has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol while transporting a group of children in the Katupotha area last afternoon.

According to the Police, the man was arrested during an inspection conducted by the Katupotha Police to detect traffic violations. 

The Police said at the time of the arrest, 16 school children and two mothers were in the bus, adding that the bus had been taken into Police custody. 

The driver, a 52-year-old resident of Katupotha, was arrested yesterday and is due to be produced before the Narammala Magistrate’s Court today. (Newswire)

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The Panadura Chief Magistrate has ordered the lifelong suspension of the licence of a bus driver for having driven a private bus while under the influence of alcohol, it was reported. 

Issuing the judgment, Panadura Chief Magistrate Champika Rajapaksa also imposed a fine on the accused.

The accused, who had been transporting employees of a private organization from Panadura to Kalutara, had been inspected by the Police.

As the smell of alcohol had lingered on him, the Police had investigated him further, during which it was confirmed that he was under the influence of alcohol. 

Based on the argument that the driver had risked the lives of his passengers, the Panadura Chief Magistrate suspended his licence and imposed a fine. (Newswire)

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A total of 401 drunk drivers have been arrested during special raids conducted by the Police across the nation in the last 24 hours ending at 06.00 am today. 

The Police said 605 raids had been conducted during this period targetting the festive season.

Further, 48 persons were arrested for high speed, 1350 for traffic violations, 53 for reckless driving, 865 for offences related to the licence, and 5351 for other offences. (Newswire)

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Retired Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne who was remanded following a drunk driving incident has been granted bail. 

The Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate released former SDIG Seneviratne on a surety of Rs. 100,000 when the case was taken up for hearing today.

The bail has been granted after the Court yesterday rejected an appeal for bail by him.

The former Senior Police officer was arrested for driving under the influence on Saturday night (Oct 28) and was remanded until November 01.

The Wellawatte Police arrested him after colliding with two vehicles, a car and a bus, on Marine Drive in Wellawatte while travelling from Bambalapitiya to Dehiwala. 

Investigations at the accident site confirmed that Retired Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne had been driving under the influence of alcohol. (NewsWire)

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An islandwide special Police operation is to be launched from August 01 to apprehend persons driving under the influence of illegal substances. 

During a recent special operation conducted in the Western Province, 41 drivers were identified to have driven under the influence of illegal substances, out of which 19 were bus drivers. 

The Police suspect a majority of accidents in Sri Lanka have been found to be caused by persons driving under the influence of illegal substances, adding that a significant increase has also been observed in the number of accidents being reported in the country.

A total of 2,370 persons had died in 23,704 accidents reported in 2020. However, 2,559 individuals died in 22,847 accidents in 2021. In the year 2022, a total of 2,536 persons died in 21,992 accidents.

A total of 1,043 persons have died in 8.875 accidents that were reported from 1st January until 18th June this year (2023). 

The Police stated that even though there were measures to identify drinking and driving they did not have modes to identify those driving under the influence of illegal substances.

However, now as the necessary measures are available the government has launched special operations to apprehend those driving under the influence of illegal substances. 

A special operation was conducted in the Western Province from June 12 to identify those driving under the influence of illegal substances during which 1,781 individuals had been inspected and 41 drivers were arrested. 

Among the arrested drivers, 09 were three-wheeler drivers and 13 were motorcyclists. Seven drivers who had pleaded guilty have been released, while 15 drivers were imposed a fine and their driving licences have been suspended. 

Two other drivers who were apprehended have been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment. (NewsWire)

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