Big matches cause public nuisance, road chaos

At least six vehicles belonging to politicians were taken into police custody while 13 students celebrating their so-called school big matches this week and next week were injured in a road mishap in what motorists and other road users said was the latest culture of big match madness in the country.

Police said one student was in a serious condition.

The students were travelling in an open truck when it toppled at a roundabout near the Public library in Colombo.

A police spokesman told the Sunday Observer that the vehicle was not authorised to carry a load of passengers and had no permission from the City Traffic Police to move out in a convoy violating the highway code.

Many motorists caught up in the big match frenzy told the Sunday Observer that it was high time such motorcades and frolics were banned as they were causing a public nuisance and inconveniencing other road users.

Retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Camillus Abeygoonewardena said times have changed to let big match vehicle parades cause havoc on the highway and blamed the authorities for not applying the law or formulating a process to have the syndrome under control.

"In the past we sent (Police) teams to meet the school heads and give them the guidelines on what can be done and what will not be allowed in keeping with the law and the highway code. Today nothing is supervised", lamented Abeygoonewardena.

The Sunday Observer learns that none of the big match vehicles stuffed with revellers, some intoxicated and exceeding the number of passengers for what they were registered to carry, were issued with municipal or police permits to do as they please.