Sri Lanka PM quits, MP kills self amid violent clashes | All that happened today
India Today
Amid the worst economic crisis the country has seen since independence, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned from his post on Monday. Amid a clash that erupted shortly thereafter, a Sri Lankan MP died by suicide.
Sri Lanka has been in the throes of its worst-ever economic crisis for about a month now. The county has been experiencing acute shortages of fuel and electricity along with skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.
Thousands of people have been protesting against the ruling government over the same. However, the Rajapaksa brothers - President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have consistently defied calls for their resignation amid the crisis. Until today.
On Monday, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned from his post. This came after violent clashes erupted between pro- and anti-government protesters outside President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's office in Colombo.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala of the ruling party and his personal security officer lost their lives amid a similar clash in the northwestern town of Nittambuwa.
Here’s all that happened in crisis-hit Sri Lanka on Monday in chronological order.
A violent clash erupted outside President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's office following reports that Mahinda Rajapaksa may offer to step down as prime minister. Pro-government groups attacked anti-government protesters and more than 150 people were injured in the ensuing violence.
Following the violence outside President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's office, the government imposed a nationwide curfew and deployed army troops in the capital.
