The General Manager of Sri Lanka Railways, J.I.D. Jayasundara, described a recent video circulating on social media—showing a group of locals providing massage therapy to foreign tourists on a train—as “very insulting.”
During a press briefing today, the Railways General Manager stated, “As a Sri Lankan and an employee of the Department of Railways, I find this incident very insulting.”
He clarified that, according to reports he has received, the incident did not occur on a regular passenger train operated by Sri Lanka Railways, but rather on a special train hired by a private travel company.
“Based on the reports I have gathered so far, this incident did not take place on any of our regular trains such as the ‘Odyssey,’ ‘Udarata Manike,’ or ‘Podi Manike.’ Private companies are permitted to hire trains from the Railway Department for tourism-related activities, and this particular incident happened on a train rented by one such company,” he explained.
The Railways General Manager assured the public that steps are being taken to address the situation. He stated that relevant authorities have been informed to conduct an investigation, and the Tourist Police will also be notified.
“We will take immediate action to prevent such incidents in the future. An investigation has already been initiated, and we will seek to recover any losses incurred from those responsible. Additional legal actions will also be pursued,” the Railways GM added.
