POLICE in Sri Lanka's capital lifted a curfew on Friday (1) after protests in which dozens of people were arrested and several policemen were hurt near the home of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa over his handling of an economic crisis.
Hundreds of protesters gathered near Rajapaksa's residence in a Colombo suburb late on Thursday (31) before police dispersed them with tear gas and water cannons, a witness said.
"We have arrested 54 people over the unrest last night. Several vehicles belonging to the army and police were burnt by the protesters, including two buses, one police jeep and several motorcycles," a police spokesman, senior superintendent Nihal Thalduwa, said.
The island nation of 22 million people is in the midst of its worst economic crisis in years with rolling blackouts for up to 13 hours a day because the government does not have enough foreign exchange to pay for fuel imports.
Five policemen were injured and in hospital, Thalduwa said, adding there were no reports of injuries among the protesters.
"The main issue Sri Lanka is facing is a forex shortage and protests of this nature will hurt tourism and have economic consequences," Sri Lanka's tourism minister Prasanna Ranatunge told a press conference on Friday.
"Our stance is that people have the right to protest but it should be constructive. What happened yesterday was the opposite."
Streets in the capital were quiet on Friday morning. Police combed through the wreckage of two burnt-out buses near Rajapaksa's home, a witness said.
Trading on the country's stock market was suspended for the third day in a row after the main blue-chip index fell 10 per cent from the previous close.
(Reuters)
Sri Lanka lifts curfew after violent protests
Dharavi slum in Mumbai
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)