Sri Lanka Economic Crisis: Curfew Lifted After Violent Protests Outside President’s Residence

“We have arrested 54 people over the unrest last night,” Reuters quoted police spokesman and senior superintendent Nihal Thalduwa as saying.

Protests in Colombo outside President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence (ANI Image)

New Delhi: The Sri Lankan Police lifted a curfew in Colombo on Friday following protests over President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s handling of an economic crisis.

This came after dozens of people were arrested and several policemen were hurt during protests near the President’s home.

“We have arrested 54 people over the unrest last night,” Reuters quoted police spokesman and senior superintendent Nihal Thalduwa as saying.

“Several vehicles belonging to the army and police were burnt by the protesters, including two buses, one police jeep and several motorcycles,” Thalduwa added.

The police spokesman further said five policemen were injured, adding there were no reports of injuries among the protesters.

The streets in Colombo were quiet on Friday morning, Reuters reported a witness as saying.

The witness added the police combed through the wreckage of two burnt-out buses near the President’s residence.

The witness further scores of protesters gathered near Rajapaksa’s residence in a Colombo suburb late on Thursday before police dispersed them with tear gas and water cannons.

The curfew was earlier reportedly imposed within the Colombo North, South, Colombo Central, Nugegoda, Mount Lavinia and Kelaniya Police Divisions.

The protests come as the island nation of 22 million people is in the midst of its worst economic crisis in years.

The economic crisis has resulted from mismanaged government finances and ill-timed tax cuts besides the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

There has been a critical shortage of food and essential items, fuel and gas for weeks as the country grapples with the worst economic downturn since its independence.