Violence erupts amid political crisis in Sri Lanka
At least one person was killed after live rounds were fired at the supporters of the new premier Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka on Sunday, by the bodyguards of Petroleum Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, a loyalist of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, amid political crisis in the country.
According to the police, one person succumbed to injuries, while two others were hospitalised in the shooting incident. A security personnel was also arrested at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) premises in Dematagoda following a tense situation on Sunday, they said.
The incident took place when the cricketer-turned-politician visited the CPC office, with several Ceylon Petroleum Corporation workers objecting to his presence at the office.
When Ranatunga entered the building the supporters of the new prime minister Rajapaksa took exception to him visiting the office and shouted slogans.
When they were not allowed to move out, shots were fired which injured three persons. Unconfirmed reports said that two of Ranatunga's security personnel have been arrested.
A supporter of Wickremesinghe, Ranatunga was sacked by Sirisena.
Wickremesinghe however, holds his sacking was illegal and unconstitutional.
Political crisis emerged in Sri Lanka on Friday when President Sirisena sacked prime minister Wickremesinghe and appointed former strongman Rajapaksa as the new prime minister.
A new caretaker government is expected to be sworn in on Monday.
