1,500 arrested in Sri Lanka for anti-govt clashes that killed 10

Colombo, May 23

The Sri Lankan police have arrested 1,500 persons so far in connection with the violent clashes between anti- and pro-government protesters in the country earlier this month that killed at least 10 persons.

On May 9, violence erupted in Sri Lanka after supporters of former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa attacked peaceful anti-government protesters.

According to Sri Lanka Police spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa 1,500 have been arrested in connection with the violence. He said 152 persons have been arrested in the past 24 hours. Top bureaucrat of Lanka’s Ministry of Security, Major General (retd) Jagath Alwis, who was in charge of the police department, resigned over his failure to curb the clashes. — PTI

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