A Sri Lankan street food vendor who was arrested for demanding a massive price of Rs. 1,900 for a Kottu Roti portion from a foreign tourist and insulted him using abusive language and chased him away at a street food stall in Hulftsdorp was been granted bail yesterday (17).
American You Tuber Emeka Iwueze, a friendly tourist visiting Sri Lanka who was taken by surprise for the high price quoted by the street food vendor when he inquired the price of a Kottu Roti portion on display at one of the night time street food stands in Hulftsdorp, was threatened and chased away repeatedly without any reason and only for questioning why such a high price for the food by the abusive hostile vendor. The vendor who was annoyed with the tourist used harsh words on the tourist chasing him away with hostile gestures.
The suspect who was arrested on Monday (16) night by the Keselwatta Police was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday (17) where he was granted bail by the Magistrate, Police Media said.
The 51-year-old suspect who is a resident of Colombo 12 has been ordered to be released on a cash bail of Rs.50,000 and a surety bail of Rs. 1 million by the Magistrate.
This incident comes in the wake of another similar episode that took place recently at a roadside restaurant in Kalutara where a foreign tourist was charged Rs. 1,000 for a wade and a cup of plain tea by the owner which the foreigner published on social media that went viral, which could adversely impact the booming tourism industry in Sri Lanka.
Varuna Dayaratne