Signs of a Raging Crisis: Man Jailed for Hoarding 4 Litres of Petrol
An energy crisis gripping Sri Lanka is intensifying, leading to civilians being imprisoned. A man has reportedly been sentenced to three weeks in jail after admitting to hoarding four litres of petrol amid a national fuel shortage sparked by the raging war in the Middle East.
The 48-year-old man initially defended himself to officials, claiming the fuel was intended for his lawnmower. However, authorities still treated the act as a serious violation during the country’s emergency energy situation.
A judge in Nikaweratiya, located about 125 kilometres northeast of the capital Colombo, also imposed an additional fine of 1,500 rupees (Rp 81,075) on the defendant on Friday (27/03/2026). This punishment serves as a deterrent against hoarding subsidised and tightly controlled energy commodities.
A report from the daily newspaper Lankadeepa states that the man was charged with hoarding petrol and attempting to resell it on the black market. This occurred as the Sri Lankan government implemented very strict fuel rationing policies for all citizens.
Currently, drivers on the South Asian island are only allowed to receive fuel supplies every two days to maintain stock availability. This situation has severely limited public mobility and dramatically increased reliance on the black market.
Sri Lankan authorities state that current diesel stocks are estimated to last until mid-May, while petrol supplies are projected to endure about one week longer. This crisis is a direct impact of global geopolitical instability disrupting supply chains.
Fuel prices across Sri Lanka have surged by a third from normal levels since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran. These attacks triggered retaliatory actions that significantly disrupted global oil supplies and hammered the economies of importing nations.
The Office of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that it has held in-depth discussions with Russian Deputy Energy Minister Roman Marshavin, who is visiting to secure oil supplies. This diplomatic move is aimed at preventing total economic collapse due to energy shortages.
In an official statement, Dissanayake’s office quoted the Russian minister’s direct commitment, affirming that his country will provide full support to Sri Lanka.
“Russia is ready to support Sri Lanka in facing any challenges arising from the Middle East conflict,” Marshavin emphasised.