10 injured in scuffle inside Sri Lankan PM’s residence

Colombo: At least 10 persons, including a woman, were injured on Tuesday when a scuffle took place inside Araliyagaha Mandir, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s official residence, occupied by Sri Lankan protesters since Saturday, the media reported on Tuesday.

At least 10 persons were admitted to the National Hospital here after the confrontation between protesters who have currently been staying inside the prime minister’s official residence, the Colombo Post news portal reported.

Protesters demanding the resignation of President Gotabya Rajapaksa as well as of the Prime Minister on Friday occupied the President’s House, the President’s Secretariat, and the Prime Minister’s official residence Temple trees. The sites have been opened for public thronging the residences since Saturday to find out as to what lies behind the most protected places in the country.

According to the Colombo Post, many valuable and ancient items, including a large stock of gifts and souvenirs, have reportedly been stolen from the sites that have served as the official residences of governors and presidents for decades. Videos of people taking away rare artefacts have been doing rounds of social media.

The prime minister’s media unit in a complaint to the Kollupitiya Police Station said equipment from the media section of his official residence Temple Trees have been stolen. Two laptops, a video camera, and other camera equipment have been stolen from the media department, Colombo Page portal quoted the prime minister’s media division as saying. —AP