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Fact Check
The Deputy Minister of Transport said that, "If the Rajapaksas had built roads properly without embezzling money, the Ella bus accident would not have happened."
The viral newscard is fabricated, confirmed by Newshub media.
A purported newscard by Newshub in Sinhala, which reads, “Transport and Highways Deputy Minister Dr Prasanna Gunasena says, “If the Rajapaksas had built roads properly without embezzling money, the Ella bus accident would not have happened,” is going viral on social media.
This newscard is viral on social media platforms Facebook and X. The posts can be seen here, here, and here.
On September 4, 2025, a bus traveling from Ella to Wellawaya in Sri Lanka plunged nearly 1,000 feet into a ravine near Ravana Falls, killing at least 15 people and injuring 18, including five children. The bus was carrying employees of the Tangalle Urban Council and their families when it reportedly collided with an oncoming jeep and went off the cliff. The driver died in the crash, and authorities have sent his blood for toxicology tests. This location has a history of fatal bus accidents, including a similar incident in 2002 where 21 people died. The tragedy highlights ongoing concerns about road safety, reckless driving, and unregulated tour buses on Sri Lanka’s mountainous roads. We also fact-checked a similar claim that the Deputy Minister of Transport blamed the deadly Kotmale bus accident on May 11, 2025, on irregular road development activities carried out by the Rajapaksas to earn commissions from the expressway project. The fact-check article can be seen here.
The claim that Deputy Minister of Transport Dr. Prasanna Gunasena blamed the Rajapaksas for the Ella bus accident is entirely fabricated. Newshub confirmed that they did not create or share the viral newscard.
FAQs
Q1: What is the viral newscard claiming?
It claims that Deputy Minister of Transport Dr Prasanna Gunasena said the Rajapaksas were responsible for the Ella bus accident because they did not build roads properly and allegedly embezzled money.
Q2: Did Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena really blame the Rajapaksas for the Ella bus accident?
No. The viral newscard claiming he did so is fabricated, and Newshub confirmed it was not created or shared by their team.
Q3: Is the image of the deputy minister in the viral newscard authentic to the claim?
No. The image is from an unrelated event on August 13, 2025, where he attended a railway management event, and it was misused to create the false claim.
Q4: When did the Ella–Wellawaya bus accident happen, and how many people died?
The accident occurred on September 4, 2025. Fifteen people died, and 18, including five children, were injured when the bus plunged nearly 1,000 feet into a ravine near Ravana Falls.
Our Sources
Clarification post published on the Newshub official Facebook page on 06.09.2025.
Clarification article published on the Newshub website on 06.09.2025.
Facebook post by Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena on 13.08.2025.
News article on the Ella–Wellawaya bus accident published by News.lk on 05.09.2025.
News article titled Driver’s blood samples sent for tests published by Daily Mirror on 07.09.2025.
News article on the Ella–Wellawaya bus accident and road safety concerns published by Sunday Times on 07.09.2025.
News article titled Ella–Wellawaya bus tragedy echoes past accident in 2002 published by Daily Mirror on 05.09.2025.
Article on a similar claim related to the Kotmale bus accident published by Newschecker on 20.05.2025.
False
