Violent protests force former Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa to take shelter in naval base: Reports
May 10, 2022
Colombo [Sri Lanka], May 10 : Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and some of his family members have been shifted to Trincomalee Naval Base, a day after he resigned following violent protests that led to a nationwide curfew.
A protest has begun in front of the Trincomalee Naval Base after reports emerged that Mahinda Rajapaksa and some of his family members are present there after leaving Temple Trees today morning, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported.
Colombo Gazette reported that helicopters were seen leaving the capital city today with VVIPs and some speculated that they were members of the Rajapaksa family.
Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Sri Lanka's prime minister on Monday as violent protests broke out, and a nationwide curfew was imposed until Wednesday.
It was reported that seven people have died with over 200 others injured due to the violent situation in Colombo on Monday, and the police have been tasked to conduct an investigation into it.
On the same day, Mahinda Rajapaksa's residence in the city of Kurunegala in the north-western province was set on fire on Monday, hours after the leader tendered his resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Today, Sri Lanka's Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena asked President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to reconvene the Parliament and to find a solution to the political instability in the South Asian country.
Abeywardena said the Parliament must be convened immediately to appoint a new prime minister and a cabinet of ministers.
He said a meeting of political party leaders is to be held at the parliament complex on May 11.
The speaker last week suspended parliamentary sessions till May 17 as protesters gathered outside the parliament building calling on legislators to find a solution to the ongoing economic crisis.
