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Social media is often flooded with varied narratives during this period of the year in Sri Lanka, with National War Heroes’ Day falling on May 19 and Tamil communities holding their own Remembrance Day commemorations on May 18.
On this backdrop a video emerged showing a group of youths riding motorcycles, some without helmets, in the northern region. The footage ignited heated debate on social media, with many demanding the riders be arrested.
Then a second, more inflammatory claim spread, claiming that Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala had purportedly refused to order their arrest. However, our investigation found that claim to be false, and that the riders had, in fact, already been taken into custody.
Social Media Posts:
A post circulated on social media, styled to appear as a Dasatha News article, claimed that Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala had made a statement, refusing to order the arrest of youths who rode motorcycles without helmets, during the May 18 commemorations in the North.
The claim also spread on YouTube in the following form:
Fact-Check :
If Minister Ananda Wijepala had indeed made a public statement refusing to order the arrest of the bikers, as conveyed in the viral claims, it would have surely gained widespread attention and would have been reported by mainstream media. Our investigation found no such report anywhere.
One of the original videos of the riders circulated in this form:
No Such Post Was Published by Dasatha News
The viral post linked to Minister Wijepala was designed in the format of the Dasatha News Facebook page. We checked whether Dasatha News had actually published such a post, however, couldn’t find any. Dasatha News subsequently published a statement on their official website confirming that the post was not theirs, and that it had been fabricated using their page’s format. That statement is available here.
Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala
We contacted the media spokesperson of Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala, who confirmed that the minister made no such statement and that the post is entirely false.
The Helmetless Riders Were Arrested by Sri Lanka Police
On May 23, 2026, Sri Lanka Police issued a statement confirming that the youths who had ridden motorcycles without helmets during the May 18 commemorations in the Northern Province had been arrested. Further details are available here.
Full Statement from the Police Media Spokesperson
On May 23, 2026, the Police Media Spokesperson stated that a preliminary investigation had been initiated by the Officer-in-Charge of the Mullaitivu Division, that there had been some initial difficulty in confirming the identities of the motorcycles and individuals involved, but that the suspects had since been taken into custody.
On May 24, 2026, Sri Lanka Police issued a further statement confirming that the arrested motorcyclists had been produced before the Mullaitivu Magistrate’s Court on May 23 and were subsequently released on bail with three personal bonds of Rs. 150,000 each. The case is scheduled to be reported back to court on June 16, 2026. That statement is available here.
The Arrests Were Made by Pudukudirippu Police
A separate claim circulated on social media suggesting that Mullaitivu Police had not made any such arrests. Facebook
We contacted both Mullaitivu Police and Pudukudirippu Police stations for clarification. The Mullaitivu Police OIC confirmed that while initial investigations had been conducted from their end, the actual arrests were carried out by Pudukudirippu Police, not Mullaitivu Police. Pudukudirippu Police subsequently confirmed that they had made the arrests.
Local Journalists
We also sought further confirmation from local journalists in the area. They independently confirmed that the arrests were carried out by Pudukudirippu Police.
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Conclusion:
Our investigation confirms that the social media posts claiming Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala made a statement refusing to order the arrest of a group of helmetless motorcyclists in the North are false. The minister’s office confirmed no such statement was made, and the post was fabricated using the format of the Dasatha News page.
Far from the suspects going unarrested, Sri Lanka Police confirmed that the individuals had been taken into custody by Pudukudirippu Police, produced before the Mullaitivu Magistrate’s Court, and released on bail pending further investigation. The case returns to court on June 16, 2026.
Title: No, Minister Ananda Wijepala Did Not Refuse to Arrest the Helmetless Riders!
Fact Check By: B.P. Hansani
Result: False
