The US embassy in Colombo warned Thursday its citizens visiting Sri Lanka to avoid travelling alone in tuk-tuks after a spate of sexual harassment complaints.
The embassy, in a message posted on its website, advised women against hailing the brightly-coloured autorickshaws used widely to get around in Sri Lanka.
“The US embassy Colombo has been made aware of an increase in incidents involving tuk-tuk drivers in the Colombo area inappropriately touching female passengers,” said the statement.
“Females should avoid travelling in tuk-tuks alone in Colombo.”
Many of the reported incidents occurred at the end of a ride, the embassy said. Those opting to use tuk-tuks were requested to take photos of the driver and registration plate before boarding.
There are some 1.2 million autorickshaws in Sri Lanka, most used as taxis in a country where public transport is often unreliable and overcrowded.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.