1 dead, 2 injured in firing outside minister’s house

Colombo, Oct. 28: The political crisis in Sri Lanka took an ugly turn on Sunday when bodyguards of petroleum minister Arjuna Ranatunga, a loyalist of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, fired live rounds at the supporters of the new premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, leaving one person dead.

One person succumbed to injuries and two others were hospitalised in the shooting and a security personnel was arrested at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation ( CPC) premises following a tense situation on Sunday.

The incident took place when the cricketerturnedpolitician visited the CPC office, with several Ceylon Petroleum Corporation workers objecting to his presence at the office.

When Ranatunga entered the building the supporters of the new prime minister Rajapaksa took exception to him visiting the office and shouted slogans.

When they were not allowed to move out, shots were fired which injured three persons. Unconfirmed reports said that two of Ranatunga's security personnel have been arrested.

Ranatunga is a supporter of Wickremesinghe who was sacked by S i r i s e n a . Wickremesinghe holds his sacking was illegal and unconstitutional.

Sri Lanka is facing a political crisis after President Sirisena sacked prime minister Wickremesinghe on Friday, and appointed former strongman Rajapaksa as the new prime minister.