Sri Lanka on boil: Mahinda takes shelter at naval base
Hindustan Times|May 11, 2022
Sri Lanka's former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa took refuge at a naval base on the northeast coast of the island nation as the fire of deadly protests spread across the country, with thousands of demonstrators defying a nationwide curfew to express anger over the nation's worst ever economic crisis.
Sri Lanka on boil: Mahinda takes shelter at naval base

A day earlier, violent clashes left five dead and prompted the resignation of PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is blamed along with his brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, for leading the country into turmoil. A protest began in front of Sri Lanka's Trincomalee Naval Base after reports emerged that the former prime minister and some of his family members were there after leaving the official residence in Colombo.

Trincomalee is a port city on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka.

Thousands of angry protesters stormed Mahinda's official residence overnight, and he was rescued in a pre-dawn military operation on Tuesday. His son said that Mahinda will not flee the country.

With thousands of security forces enforcing a curfew, the defence ministry said troops "have been ordered to shoot on sight anyone looting public property or causing harm to life".

Protesters and a key trade group called for a new government to take control of the crisis-hit country as the president called for calm a day after clashes killed eight people.

With Rajapaksa's resignation, the cabinet was also dissolved, creating an administrative vacuum. Even though the President has the most power under the constitution, a prime minister and cabinet are needed to manage the government. The prime minister is also the next in line if the presidency falls vacant

This story is from the May 11, 2022 edition of Hindustan Times.

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This story is from the May 11, 2022 edition of Hindustan Times.

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