A youth celebrates with sparklers on the eve of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in Colombo on April 13, 2021. (Photo: AFP)
COLOMBO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Thirty people were killed and several others injured in road accidents that took place in Sri Lanka within the past 48 hours, as the country celebrated the local Sinhala and Tamil New year, police said on Friday.
Police spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana told reporters that most of the fatalities had been reported from head-on vehicle collisions which were reported since Wednesday.
According to official statistics, every year Sri Lanka records the highest number of road crashes on April 14-15 during the local New Year season.
DIG Rohana said the police were carrying out special operations to apprehend drunk drivers during the festive season, and breathalyzers were being used by traffic police officers to determine if motorists were driving under the influence of alcohol and narcotics.
