A viral video has captured a member of the public confronting a teenager and winestore staff over the sale of arrack to a minor in Bandarawela, raising concerns about enforcement of age restrictions on alcohol sales.
A video circulating on social media shows a man intervening after witnessing a 19-year-old boy leaving a winestore in Bandarawela with a bottle of arrack early in the morning, according to NewsWire. The incident occurred at approximately 8:00 AM, when the teenager was seen carrying a schoolbag and carrying out the purchase.
Investigations into the incident revealed that the young man had used money allocated for tuition fees to purchase the bottle of arrack, which cost Rs. 3,100. The public confrontation drew attention to the transaction after the teenager exited the premises.
The member of the public subsequently confronted the winestore staff over their decision to sell alcohol to a minor. Following the intervention, the workers reversed the transaction, taking back the bottle and refunding the money to the teenager. The video has sparked broader discussion about compliance with age restrictions on alcohol sales and the responsibility of retailers to verify customer age before completing such transactions.
