Sri Lanka: Protests worsen as Minister's house set on fire, SLPP party office destroyed

In Sri Lanka, chaos intensified as anti-government protestors set fire to the houses and offices of numerous leaders including ruling party SLPP politicians on Monday. This comes after the supporters of the government attacked anti-government protesters at Galle Face Green, which injured 23 people, as per the Sri Lankan media reports. After supporters of the government attacked protestors, violence erupted in Sri Lanka amid a crippling economic crisis.

The media reports suggest that the anti-government protesters set fire to the home of MP Sanath Nishantha, who led a group to attack Galle Face protesters. His home was completely destroyed by the fire as seen in videos shared on social media. 

Minister Ramesh Pathirana's house was also set on fire as a plume of smoke was seen over his house. Former Minister Johnston Fernando's Kurunegala party office was also completely destroyed by the fire. Enraged protestors set fire to vehicles of lawmakers from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

Apart from this, former minister Johnston Fernando's Kurunegala party office was also completely destroyed.

This comes just hours after an MP and his personal security officer were killed in the conflict between two groups of protestors in Sri Lanka. People in several regions of the country targeted Rajapaksa's supporters and leaders of the government and attacked them as a result of the violence in Galle Face Green. 

Following an attack by government supporters, authorities deployed armed forces in the capital, Colombo on Monday, according to media reports. The police used tear gas and water cannon and imposed an immediate curfew in Colombo.

Mahinda Rajapaksa resigns

Earlier, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned after weeks of rallies calling for him and his brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to quit amid the country's worst economic crisis in decades.

Since March, the country has been devastated by economic instability, and the citizens of the country have been calling for the leaders to resign. In the meanwhile, Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), stated that he will not take the job of Prime Minister on an interim basis.

Image: AP