COLOMBO: At least one person has been killed and 10 others wounded after police opened fire at a group of people protesting new fuel price increases in central Sri Lanka.
The incident on Tuesday was the first deadly shooting by security forces during weeks of demonstrations about the country’s worst economic crisis in decades.
Police confirmed that they shot at the protesters in Rambukkana, 90 kilometres (55 miles) northeast of Colombo, the capital. Police spokesman Nihal Talduwa said the demonstrators were blocking railway tracks and roads and had ignored police warnings to disperse.
“To control the situation police fired at the protesters, which injured several protesters,” Thalduwa told media.
“Several injured policemen have also been hospitalised,” he said, adding live ammunition and tear gas had been used to repel a crowd throwing stones and other objects. “Police are still in the area and attempting to restore calm.”
Dr Mihiri Priyangani of the government hospital in Kegalle said 11 people were brought there with suspected gunshot wounds and one had died. Two others were undergoing surgery, she said. –Agencies
