September 18, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is grappling with a disturbing rise in violent crime and deadly road accidents, with statistics for 2025 already eclipsing many of the figures reported in the same timeframe last year.
Authorities and citizens alike are expressing mounting concern over what appears to be a deepening crisis in public safety.
A notable surge in shootings—many tied to ongoing gang rivalries—has become a defining feature of this year’s crime landscape. Between January and early September, law enforcement has recorded 99 shooting incidents, resulting in 50 fatalities and 56 people injured.
The scale of the violence has already brought the country close to surpassing 2024’s full-year figures, which saw 103 shootings, 61 deaths, and 47 injuries.
Police have attributed the bulk of these attacks to feuds between organised criminal networks, particularly those entangled in the drug trade. Out of this year’s fatalities, 44 were linked directly to gang-related violence.
Disturbingly, amongst those killed were several bystanders caught in the crossfire—underscoring the growing risk to the general public.
The broader picture of violent crime is equally troubling. From January to July this year, 300 homicides were reported across the island. In comparison, a total of 556 murders were recorded throughout 2024. Whilst police investigations have yielded results in many cases—claiming to have solved 272 of the 300 murders reported so far this year—the upward trajectory of violent deaths has alarmed both communities and security analysts.
Adding to the nation’s woes is the unrelenting toll of road accidents. As of mid-September, 1,838 fatal crashes have been logged for the year, resulting in 1,955 deaths—already putting 2025 on track to match or even surpass last year’s figures. In 2024, Sri Lanka reported 2,253 fatal road accidents and 2,259 related deaths.
Beyond fatalities, road safety remains a critical issue with 3,708 serious accidents, 6,827 minor incidents, and 2,858 cases involving only property damage reported so far this year.
Two recent high-profile crashes have only intensified public anxiety. The first, in May, took place near Gerandi Ella in Kotmale, when a state-run bus veered off the Nuwara Eliya–Gampola road and fell nearly 100 feet down a slope. The crash, involving a bus travelling from Kataragama to Kurunegala, left over 20 people dead and more than 60 injured.
The second occurred on September 04 along the Ella–Wellawaya route. A bus carrying employees and relatives from the Tangalle Urban Council collided with an SUV before plunging almost 1,000 feet into a ravine. Sixteen people, including the bus driver, lost their lives, whilst 18 others sustained serious injuries.
Authorities say they are working to tighten enforcement and implement safety campaigns, but the figures paint a grim picture. With organised crime seemingly gaining ground and road conditions and driver behaviour continuing to contribute to preventable tragedies, the call for urgent and coordinated action is growing louder.
