Two years since ’Aragalaya’, no compensation for buses destroyed: Gemunu

Colombo, May 9 (Daily Mirror) - Two years have passed, but no compensation has been received from the government for the bus owners whose buses were destroyed during the Aragalaya period on May 9, 2022, Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association (LPBOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijerathne said.

Addressing the media, he said 50 buses were completely destroyed and another 50 were partially destroyed during the Aragalaya, and as a bus owners' association, they have requested the government for assistance several times.

"Several bus owners had repaired their buses with the help of the insurance companies, but at least 30 bus owners who do not have the strength to repair their buses are still waiting. At least 20 buses have been condemned," he said.

Wijerathne claimed that the Police Department too had not conducted any proper investigations into this terror attack. If the police could reveal the identities of the people who destroyed the buses, then they could file civil cases against them to get compensation. 

The current Police DIG has the ability to conduct investigations to identify the suspects. Still, the suspects who toppled the buses to Beira Lake are at large, Wijerathne said.