Protests outside the Sri Lankan President’s mansion resulted in the injuries of ten individuals, including journalists. Six persons were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital after being injured in clashes between protestors and police in Mirihana, according to ANI, citing the Daily Mirror. Another four patients were admitted to the Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Kalubowila.
Protests are taking place in Sri Lanka over the government’s handling of the country’s economic crisis, which is being described as the country’s worst since independence. Hundreds of demonstrators attempted to attack the home of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the capital Colombo on Thursday, demanding his resignation. To put an end to the protests, police used tear gas and water cannons. While Rajapaksa was not at home during the rallies.
Due to a lack of diesel for generators, the state electricity company imposed a 12-hour power cut on Thursday, the longest power cut in history. Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCL) said “areas in the 20 power zones from ‘A’ to ‘S’ will experience power disruptions of 12 hours on four occasions between 4 AM and midnight, subject to a maximum of four hours per interruption.”.
In addition, it was reported that street lights were shut off to conserve energy as a result of the ongoing economic crisis in the country.
