Sri Lankan PM escapes deadly protest mob

SPECIAL forces fired into the air to break through a baying mob at the home of the Sri Lankan prime minister who was evacuated at dawn yesterday.

Hundreds of troops fired tear gas and warning shots to hold back anti-government protesters trying to launch petrol bombs at the former premier’s Colombo home.

This week, Mahinda Rajapaksa tried to calm tensions by resigning as the country descended into chaos on the back of an acute cost of living crisis.

Sri Lanka’s defence ministry yesterday night ordered troops to shoot looters or those damaging property, giving police emergency powers to detain people without warrants.

Anti-government protesters have set alight the homes and offices of more than 40 ruling party officials since Monday, in response to attacks on protesters by pro-rajapaksa forces which left at least 200 injured.

At least seven people died in yesterday’s violence, including a ruling party MP who committed suicide after he shot dead an anti-government protester.

Several thousand demonstrators defied curfew to return to the Galle Face protest site yesterday.

Witnesses told The Daily Telegraph more than 3,000 pro-rajapaksa supporters attacked women, children and the elderly with iron rods while police looked on. It has emerged that among the pro-rajapaksa supporters were prisoners on day release from Watareka prison, an open-air facility in west Sri Lanka, by the outgoing premier.