Sri Lanka crisis: Protests near president's residence act of terrorism, says govt
India Today
Sri Lankan government has termed the violent demonstration near President Rajapaksa's residence as "an act of terrorism". A foreign exchange crunch in Sri Lanka has led to a shortage of essential goods such as fuel. cooking gas, and power cuts that last up to 13 hours a day.
The Sri Lankan government on Friday termed the violent demonstration near President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence over the current economic crisis as "an act of terrorism" and blamed "extremist elements" linked to opposition parties for the incident.
A violent protest erupted outside the residence of Rajapaksa on Thursday as hundreds of demonstrators gathered there and demanded his resignation for what they called his failure in addressing the worst economic crisis in the island nation.
Several people were injured and vehicles were set on fire as the agitation turned violent. Police fired tear gas and water cannons at the protesters after they pulled down a steel barricade placed near the president's residence. Following the incident, several people were arrested and a curfew briefly imposed in most parts of Colombo city.
READ | Sri Lanka to turn off street lights amid longest-ever blackout as economic crisis deepens
A foreign exchange crunch in Sri Lanka has led to a shortage of essential goods such as fuel. cooking gas, and power cuts that last up to 13 hours a day.
A statement issued by the presidential media division on Friday said an extremist group was behind the unrest near President Rajapaksa's residence in Mirihana, the Daily Mirror news website reported.
"It has been revealed that a group of organised extremists were protesting near the Jubilee Post in Nugegoda, suddenly became riotous and turned violent," the report said, citing the statement.
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