Over 600 police personnel have been deployed to handle traffic in the Colombo City limits and 800 police personnel to provide security during the festive season, Police media spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said.
Addressing a media conference at the Police Headquarters in Colombo yesterday, he said, “For security and traffic operations in the Colombo and adjacent areas 2,400 police personnel have been deployed during the festive season.
Some of the police personnel deployed for security will be in civils, especially to nab pickpockets and traders who try to cheat customers.These police officers have been ordered to arrest anyone engaged in pickpocketing or trying to cheat people.” Elaborating on the measures taken by the police to nab drunk drivers in an attempt to minimise accidents during the festive season, SP Gunasekara said, “April is a month that has the highest number of accidents. In 2016, there were 268 fatal accidents reported and in 2017-320 and in 2018 there were 296 fatal accidents reported during the month of April. Among these fatal accidents the majority of them were due to drunk driving. Accordingly, in 2016 police had arrested 56,835 drunk drivers, in 2017- 72,819 and in 2018 -105,094 drunk drivers had been arrested, while during the first two months of 2019, the police had arrested 19,342 drunk drivers.”
The Police Spokesman noted that a special operation is underway during the festive season to arrest drunk drivers and prevent the number of fatal road accidents from happening. Accordingly, commencing on April 11 a ten day operation until April 20 would be launched to nab drunk drivers. This operation will be conducted throughout the country. However, police security had been deployed in the Colombo city limits from April 5. “Breathalyzers required to test if drivers are over the permitted limit of alcohol, have already been distributed among police stations and another 20,000 breathalyzer kits have been imported and will be distributed among police stations within the next two days,” he said.
SP Ruwan Gunasekara said another serious concern during the festive season is the injuries caused by firecrackers. “Parents are advised to prevent children from handling firecrackers during the festive season to avert any injuries,” he said.