Sri Lanka: Clashes break out among protesters occupying PM's residence, 10 hospitalised

New Delhi: At least 10 people, including a woman, suffered injuries after clashes broke out between two protesting factions at Temple Trees, the official residence of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, on Tuesday morning, police said.

According to reports, six people were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital (CNH). Two of them were discharged from the outpatient department (OPD) and another two are still receiving treatment at the OPD.

The clash broke out at 2.45 am between supporters of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and an another group of protesters, police said.

Kollupitiya Police have started a probe into the matter.

Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials.

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets in recent months, calling for the country's leaders to resign over accusations of economic mismanagement. They blame the Gotabaya Rajapaksa family for the crisis.

Schools have been suspended and fuel has been limited to essential services. Patients are unable to travel to hospitals due to the fuel shortage and food prices are soaring.

In several major cities, including Colombo, hundreds are forced to stand in line for hours to buy fuel, sometimes clashing with police and the military as they wait.

The country, with an acute foreign currency crisis that resulted in foreign debt default, had announced in April that it is suspending nearly $7 billion foreign debt repayment due for this year out of about $25 billion due through 2026. Sri Lanka's total foreign debt stands at $51 billion.

With inputs from agencies

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