Colombo: Prices of essential commodities have risen sharply due to the severe economic crisis in Sri Lanka. Due to the fuel crisis, power cuts are in effect in Sri Lanka for up to 12 hours daily.
Petrol and diesel prices are at an all-time high. Following this, the public has been fighting for the resignation of President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
In response, Mahinda Rajapaksa recently resigned as Prime Minister. Dissatisfied with this, his supporters unleashed violence on people who had fought peacefully in the Kalimugam area.
The camps of the protesters were smashed. Meanwhile, suddenly united protesters began to chase away Mahinda Rajapaksa supporters.
Buses and vehicles heading towards Colombo in support of Rajapaksa were torched. In some places, protesters smashed the cars of Rajapaksa supporters and threw them into a pool.
Tensions also rose as houses of leaders, including ruling party MPs, were set on fire. Protesters destroyed a memorial built for the parents of President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa and set fire to their family home in Hambantota, 250 kilometers from Colombo.
The homes of three former ministers and two MPs were also set on fire.
More than 200 people have been injured in violence in Colombo and other cities. Eight people, including a ruling party MP, have been reported killed in the protests.
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Mahinda Rajapaksa, who resigned yesterday, took a helicopter with his family from Allari Palace, the official residence of the Prime Minister, and took refuge at the Sri Lankan naval base in Trincomalee.
It was reported that he was staying at the home of the naval commander there. In addition, the Sri Lankan government has ordered the shooting of those who cause damage to public property.
It has been reported on social media that the Indian Army is in a hurry to control the burning unrest in Sri Lanka. Some media outlets reported that the Sri Lankan government had sought the help of the Indian military to quell the violence currently erupting in southern Sri Lanka, as it had maintained peace in Tamil areas during the LTTE era.
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Meanwhile, the Indian embassy in Sri Lanka has stated that India will not send troops to Sri Lanka. At the same time, the Indian Embassy said that India will continue to provide the necessary assistance for the recovery of Sri Lanka’s democracy and economy.
