Police have arrested a 33-year-old Kelaniya resident in connection with the vandalism at Pettah Central Bus Stand that damaged newly installed facilities just days after the terminal was renovated and reopened on April 8.
The complaint was lodged with Pettah Police by the Welfare Division of the bus stand following reports of damage to facilities at the recently refurbished terminal. Officers traced and arrested the suspect on April 11 in the Kelaniya area, recovering some of the stolen property in his possession.
The suspect was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court and remanded until April 17, 2026. An assessment report on the extent of the damage is to be obtained from the Sri Lanka Air Force, which manages the bus stand infrastructure.
The Pettah Central Bus Stand had undergone extensive renovations under the Clean Sri Lanka initiative before being reopened to the public ahead of the Avurudu holiday period. The vandalism incident drew widespread criticism, with commuters and officials calling for better security at the facility.
The arrest brings swift closure to an incident that had raised concerns about the protection of public infrastructure investments.
