Listen to this article

Sri Lankan security authorities have received orders to shoot culprits on sight to crush violent protests against the government. Protesters were demanding the resignation of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa amid critical economic conditions in history.

Gotabaya’s brother Mahinda Rajapaksa also resigned on Monday following violence and clashes on the streets. However, his resignation seems unable to bring peace because the violent clashes continuously happened overnight.

The Sri Lankan government ordered security forces on Tuesday to open fire on anyone destroying or looting public property. The government has deployed tens of thousands of armed, air, and naval forces for street patrolling in the capital Colombo.

The violence killed 8 people and wounded over 200

On Tuesday afternoon, a top city police officer was killed in a bomb attack despite the presence of armed forces. The police officer was allegedly not doing enough to secure peaceful demonstrators. However, the crowds were continuously gathering on the seafront at Galle Face Green in Colombo.

The police department confirmed the death of 8 people. The main hospital in Colombo also confirmed that at least 200 people have been injured since the beginning of the violence. Some people were wounded during pro-government crowds and others were injured when police started to tear gas shelling into crowds.

Country-wide Curfew extended to Thursday Morning

Some lawyers seek to file cases against the supporters of the Prime Minister. The government has extended a country-wide curfew to Thursday morning and security forces seek to control the violence. Last night, Colombo experienced rioting incidents across the city. Protesters threw buses into the lake, smashed windows of many buses, and put their tires into flames.

Demonstrators gathered in front of Trincomalee Naval Base in the northeast. Some unauthentic reports said Mahinda Rajapaksa has escaped with his family members from his Colombo residence. Reports have confirmed that at least 50 houses of Sri Lankan politicians were burned overnight. Protesters are still outside the office of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and demanding his resignation.

Meanwhile, people in Sri Lanka are still staggering from the ongoing deadly violence. Most politicians have found shelters in safe areas or avoided appearances in public. Sri Lankan information minister Nalaka Godahewa said the situation isn’t entirely safe for government-side politicians.

Mahinda as a War Hero against Tamil Tigers

Sri Lankan people earlier admired Mahinda Rajapaksa as a war hero for prevailing over the Tamil Tiger riots. However, people blamed his supporters for targeting anti-government demonstrators, which started violent incidents.

Sri Lanka is continuously experiencing increasing protests against increasing goods prices and power outages. The government supporters violently clashed with demonstrators in Colombo on Monday. The incident happened at the key protest site at Galle Face Green and outside Temple Trees residence of Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The government deployed Riot Squads to control Violence

The government of Sri Lanka has deployed police and riot squads. They used water cannons, fired tear gas, and ambushed using sticks at anti-government supporters when they crossed police lines. Angry protestors violently responded and attacked government supporters.

They targeted ruling party MPs, including one who self- assassinated after killing 2 people when a crowd poured his car. The violent crowds across the country burned houses belonging to various ministers, MPs, and Rajapakshas. They also torched a house turned into a museum in the ancestral village of the Rajapakshas family in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.

Demonstrators also breached the inner compound of Temple Trees after the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa. However, several loyalists were staying with Mahinda and protesters also put a bus into flames outside Temple Trees residence. Police responded and fired air shots and tear gas to disperse demonstrators.