• The group had entered the reserve on Saturday night and held a party inside the protected area

By Gayan Suriyaarachi  

A group of 22 young individuals, including five females, were apprehended by the Hunnasgiriya Range Forest Office for trespassing in the Knuckles Reserve and setting up illegal campfires, forest officials said. 

The suspects, hailing from various regions such as Bandarawela, Colombo, Badulla, and Kandy, are between the ages of 20 and 30.  

Among the arrested individuals are university students, a person purportedly affiliated with the security forces, and private sector employees. According to a senior forest official, the group had coordinated through Facebook and other social media platforms to organize a gathering within the Knuckles Reserve without obtaining proper permission.  

The investigation conducted by forest officials revealed that the group had entered the reserve on Saturday night and held a party inside the protected area.