Sri Lanka PM ­Mahinda Rajapaksa quits after violence

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister resigned last night as protesters took to the streets around the capital Colombo.

Demonstrators and government supporters clash outside the President's office in Colombo on Monday. Picture: AFP

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister resigned last night as protesters took to the streets around the capital Colombo where a government MP shot dead an anti-government protester before taking his own life.

Amarakeerthi Athukorala opened fire and critically wounded two people blocking his car in the town of Nittambuwa, police said, adding that one of the victims died of his injuries.

“The MP fled the scene and took refuge at a nearby building,” a police official said.

“Thousands surrounded the building and he then took his own life with his revolver.”

The incident came as thousands marched across the curfew-bound island and targeted supporters of Prime Minister ­Mahinda Rajapaksa, who subsequently tendered his resignation.  The 76-year-old sent his letter of resignation to his younger brother President Gotabaya Rajapaksa clearing the way for a “new unity government”, a spokesman said.

The Rajapaksa loyalists had earlier in the day destroyed tents and placards of anti-government demonstrators camping outside the official residence of President Rajapaksa since April 9.

In violence in Colombo, at least 138 people were wounded and taken to hospital.

The President had declared a state of emergency on Friday for the second time in five weeks, ­giving security forces sweeping powers as a nationwide strike ­demanding his resignation brought the country to standstill.

A spokesman for the President said he invoked the tough laws to “ensure public order” after shops closed and public transport was halted on Friday by unions blaming him for the unprecedented economic crisis.

The emergency gave sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects for long periods without judicial supervision.

The beleaguered President had declared an earlier state of emergency on April 1, a day after thousands of protesters tried to storm his private home in the capital. That emergency was ­allowed to lapse on April 14.

But protests have escalated since then. The new emergency declaration came as thousands of demonstrators remained outside Mr Rajapaksa’s sea-front office, where they have been protesting since April 9.

AFP