Sri Lanka Police said the driver was charged with a traffic violation for placing unnecessary fixtures on the rear view mirror -- not for displaying a Buddha statue

The images were published in this Facebook post on October 18, 2019. 

It has been shared more than 6,500 times. 

Below is a screenshot of the Facebook post:

Image

Screenshot of the Facebook post

The post’s Sinhala-language caption translates to English as: “Buddha statue on the dashboard also fined...Plight of Lanka”. 

The first image shows a small Buddha figurine on a vehicle dashboard. The second image shows a permit issued by Sri Lanka Police to a motorist found guilty of committing a traffic violation. 

The permit, written in Sinhala language, lists “driving with fixtures” as the traffic violation. It states it was issued by the Maradana Police traffic branch on October 17, 2019. 

The same images were published here, here and here, on Facebook with a similar claim.

The claim is false; Sri Lanka Police said in an official statement that the driver’s offence did not relate to the Buddha figurine. 

Sri Lanka Police published an official statement about the incident here on Facebook and here on Twitter on October 22, 2019. 

The first three paragraphs of the Sinhala-language statement on Facebook translate to English as: “With regard to false news circulating on social media sites about a vehicle traffic police officer instructing the removal of a Buddha statue fixed in a motor vehicle. 

“A few days ago, an individual had released a video to social media sites, claiming a police officer asked a Buddha statue in the individual’s motor vehicle to be removed.

“In the investigation undertaken by Director -- traffic and road safety of Police Headquarters, Indika Hapugoda as per the instructions of the Inspector General of Police, it was revealed that the officer had only instructed for the garlands placed on the rear view mirror obstructing the main windscreen, to be removed. The officer had not in any instance instructed the driver to remove the Buddha statue."

The communique issued by Sri Lanka Police further notes that statements have been obtained by four individuals as well as the individual to whom the permit was issued, with regard to the false claims on social media. 

“All of their testimonies confirm the police officer never asked for the Buddha statue to be removed,” the statement adds. 

It also emphasises that displaying fixtures in a way that blocks the front windscreen view or placing fixtures on the dashboard, may result in an obstruction of the front view and result in motor accidents. 

“The driver was informed of his wrongdoing and instructed to remove the garlands and flower vases hanged on the rear view mirror. But the driver has misinterpreted the instructions in a video and claimed the officer asked for the Buddha statue to be removed,” the statement reads. 

Circular 38/2013 issued on motor vehicle instructions clearly states in 1: 2 Regulation 5, pertaining to fixtures, that no object or fixture should be displayed in a way that blocks the driver’s line of sight. 

Below is a screenshot of the circular; the relevant regulation has been highlighted by AFP in red:  

Image

Screenshot of the circular; the relevant regulation has been highlighted by AFP in red

Here is an AFP report published on October 22, 2019, about the false news that was propagated on the traffic violation charge.

In the official statement issued by Sri Lanka Police, it is also noted that legal action could follow against the individual who made the false claim and against those who shared the claim on social media sites.

The investigation will determine whether they incited racial and communal hatred with their social media posts, violating the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act No. 56 of 2007.