A luxury bus operating on the Kaduwela–Matara route via the Southern Expressway was destroyed in a suspected arson attack at the Kaduwela main bus stand early Wednesday, police said.
According to Kaduwela Police, two unidentified men who arrived on a motorcycle allegedly set fire to the parked bus near the weekly fair grounds between 2.30 a.m. and 2.45 a.m. before fleeing the scene.
The fire completely destroyed the luxury bus, while two Kaduwela–Kollupitiya normal service buses parked nearby sustained minor damage.
Police said the driver and conductor of the targeted bus had been asleep inside the vehicle when the fire broke out. They managed to escape unharmed after another driver and conductor, who were in a nearby bus, spotted the suspects setting the bus on fire and raised the alarm.
A senior police officer said investigators suspect the incident may have been linked to a personal dispute.
Kaduwela Police are conducting further investigations. (Newswire)