Hundreds try to storm home of Sri Lankan president over economic crisis, 1 injured as protest turns violent
India Today
Hundreds of Sri Lankans tried to storm the home of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the economic crisis in the nation on Thursday. The protest turned violent and one person was critically injured.
A protest by hundreds of people trying to storm the home of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa turned violent Thursday, with at least one man critically wounded, as residents slammed the government's handling of the country's crippling economic crisis.
Security forces fired into the crowd -- it was not immediately clear if they used live rounds or rubber bullets -- and used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the demonstrators, who were demanding Rajapaksa's resignation.
Protesters set fire to an army bus parked across the lane leading to Rajapaksa's home in Colombo's Mirihana residential quarter, as well as a police vehicle. They also toppled a neighbour's wall and used bricks to attack officers and troops.
Official sources told AFP that Rajapaksa was not at home during the melee, but top military officials went into a huddle to discuss the crisis.
The capital was placed under indefinite curfew in the wake of the violence.
Four hours into the protest, the area remained blocked for vehicles.
"I am unable to go home because our area is barricaded," one resident told AFP. "People are shouting for the president and his family to step down."
