Sri Lanka Police have traced all four individuals shown in a widely shared social media video depicting three young women riding unsafely on a motorcycle without helmets, the Buttala Police Station confirmed on May 10.
Investigators identified the registered owner of the motorcycle, the rider, and both passengers, who are residents of the Kolombugala, Hidikivula, and Unawatuna areas. The 23-year-old rider was found not to hold a valid driving licence.
The rider is scheduled to appear before the Wellawaya Magistrate’s Court on May 11 on multiple charges: operating a motorcycle without a valid licence, carrying two passengers without protective helmets, transporting excess passengers, and reckless riding. The motorcycle’s registered owner is also due in court for permitting an unlicensed person to operate the vehicle.
The case echoes a similar enforcement action in Eravur in May, where a motorcyclist was remanded after a viral video showed dangerous riding behaviour. Police have signalled a zero-tolerance approach to road safety violations captured and shared online, using social media monitoring as an investigative tool to identify offenders after videos gain public attention.
