One Dead, 12 Injured After Sri Lanka Police Open Fire At Anti-Govt Protesters

The Police had fired tear gas at the protesters to scatter them, following which conflicts had erupted.

Protestors scuffle with police during a demonstration against the economic crisis near the parliament building in Colombo (File photo: AFP)

New Delhi: For the first time since anti-government protests over an economic crisis in the island nation, the police in Sri Lanka on Tuesday killed one and injured at least 12 people, as reported by the news agency AFP quoting officials.

Sri Lankan state media announced that people had blocked the railway tracks close to the Rambukkana rail line getting for more than 8 hours over the fuel price hike. The Police had fired tear gas at the protesters to scatter them, following which conflicts had erupted.

The residents were protesting the latest fuel price hike when they clashed with the police. According to reports, a large number of protesters took to streetsand public places of Rambukkana town on Monday. The demonstration went late into the night.

VIDEO: Sri Lankans, angry with the ruling family's mismanagement of a crippling economic crisis, gather to protest. The country’s embattled leader dropped two of his brothers and a nephew from his cabinet on Monday pic.twitter.com/SkYFQE9xB8

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) April 19, 2022

Police Spokesperson said that desipte warning from officials to leave the area, the agitators attempted to set fire to a fuel bowser, as well as a three-wheeler causing damaging to property. 

Police had opened fire after initially using tear gas to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control, Thalduwa told a Sri Lankan news channel. The injured were admitted to Kegalle hospital. Four of them are in critical condition. 

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday introduced a proposal to reinstate the 19th amendment to the constitution to curb the powers of the president and empower parliament. This resolution has been introduced at a time when Sri Lanka is facing an unprecedented economic crisis and people are continuously protesting against the government.

“While looking for solutions to the economic problems, it is important that we have political and social stability in the country,” Mr Rajapaksa said, adding that reverting to a constitutional status with more powers to Parliament will be start to the reforms.

Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948. There is a severe shortage of foreign exchange in the country, due to which it is unable to pay for the import of food items and fuel. Demonstrations have been going on in the country for several days and there is a demand for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Addressing Parliament after the traditional Sinhalese and Tamil New Year, Prime Minister Rajapaksa said it was important to find solutions to the various crises on economic, political and social grounds. He said I believe that the constitution must be amended. To begin with, the implementation of the 19th Amendment with necessary and timely changes is the best short-term solution for the current situation in the country.