Subscribe to our WhatsApp Channel
A short video and a wave of posts claiming that a young man’s body was found beneath the Kohuwala flyover, and that the man was a PickMe driver, spread fast across Sri Lankan social media. The clip shows a young man lying back across a motorcycle, still wearing his helmet and carrying his bag. The image was alarming enough that Kohuwala Police say they were flooded with calls. We investigated. Here is what we found.
Social Media Posts
The posts circulated widely within a brief period. Further captures appear below.
Facebook | Facebook | Facebook | Facebook | Facebook | Facebook
Fact Check
No mainstream media outlet or credible official source has confirmed that a young man’s body was found beneath the Kohuwala flyover.
Kohuwala Police Confirmed No Body Was Found
When we contacted the Kohuwala Police Station, officers confirmed that nobody had been found beneath the flyover or anywhere nearby. Police said they had received many calls asking whether a PickMe driver had died there, and that they would have been notified within a brief time had such an incident actually happened. They confirmed that no dead person or patient had ever been found beneath or near the Kohuwala flyover.
Kalubowila Hospital Reported No Such Death
If such a death had occurred near the flyover, the nearby Kalubowila Hospital would have known about it. The hospital confirmed that no such death or patient had been reported.
PickMe Confirmed No Driver Died Suddenly
Because the posts identified the young man as a PickMe driver, we also contacted PickMe. The company confirmed that no sudden death of a PickMe driver had been reported.
Shops Near the Flyover Saw No Incident
Businesses next to the flyover would have noticed any such incident. We contacted several shops in the area, and they confirmed that nothing of the sort had happened beneath the flyover.
Several social media users also commented that no such incident took place beneath the Kohuwala flyover and that the video was recorded while the man was simply asleep.
Join us to learn more about our fact-check investigations.
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Google News | TikTok
Conclusion
Our investigation found that the claim of a PickMe driver being found dead on a motorcycle beneath the Kohuwala flyover is false. Kohuwala Police confirmed that no such accident or death occurred there. PickMe, Kalubowila Hospital, and nearby shops all confirmed that no death, accident, or medical emergency had taken place at the location.
Comments on the posts indicate that the video was recorded while the man was asleep and that he is safe. We are attempting to reach him and will update this article if he responds.
Title: He Wasn’t Dead, He Was Asleep: The Truth Behind the Kohuwala Flyover Viral Clips
Fact Check By: B.P. Hansani
Result: False
