• Maj. tourist destinations covered with Tourist Police posts open round the clock to take in complaints
• Police warn of immediate arrests of perps and production before court  

The Police stated that Police officers in both civil attire and uniform have been deployed to major tourist destinations in the wake of two recent incidents involving the harassment of foreign women.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Police Media Spokesperson and Assistant Superintendent of Police F.U. Wootler said that plainclothes officers are already patrolling many popular sites, and that uniformed officers from the Tourist Police Division are also stationed in these areas. He added that Police posts in almost all tourist locations operate around the clock, allowing visitors to lodge a complaint at any time.

“We have Police officers in civil attire in many of these places, and we also have uniformed officers on duty. In future, we believe there won’t be an issue because anyone attempting to harass someone will be arrested immediately and produced before court. If anyone wishes to make a complaint, they can go straight to the nearest Tourist Police post.”

His remarks come as the Police investigate two separate incidents that have drawn international attention. The first case involved a video circulating on social media showing a foreign woman being sexually harassed by an individual. The Police Tourism Division, together with the Thirukkovil Police, launched an investigation, and arrested a 25-year-old resident of Ellai Street, Kaluwanchikudi, on 16 November of this year in the Periyaneelavanai Police Division. The incident is believed to have occurred on 25 October. Soon after his arrest, another incident involving the harassment of a foreign woman was reported in Kandy. The Kandy Tourist Police arrested a 32-year-old man who allegedly sexually harassed a foreign woman while driving a three-wheeler alongside her in the Paragahadeniya area, under the jurisdiction of the Mawathagama Police.