Mob kills Muslim man in Sri Lanka as tensions soar

MINUWANGODA, COLOMBO: Sri Lanka announced on Tuesday a curfew for a second straight night after a man was killed by sword-wielding rioters in an escalating anti-muslim backlash following the Easter terror attacks.

Violence broke out late on Monday, three weeks after Islamist extremist bombings killed 258 people, with rampaging mobs carrying out arson attacks and 2,000 people vandalising a mosque, witnesses said.

Police announced another nationwide curfew for a second night to try and stop the violence, beginning at 9pm local time.

The curfew had been in place all day in North-western Province (NWP), where police said a 45-year-old Muslim man was slaughtered in his carpentry shop late Monday by a crowd carrying swords.

Police said Tuesday that just over 80 people had been arrested including a man who was out on bail for his role in similar riots in March last year. ››P20 ››GOVT EXTENDS LTTE BAN, P12