Lanka's CID interrogates top police officer in connection with violence on May 9

A top Sri Lankan police officer was interrogated by the Criminal Investigation Department on Saturday over his alleged actions that triggered violent clashes between anti and progovernment protesters in the country earlier this month that killed at least 10 people and injured over 200 othersOn May 9 violence erupted in Sri Lanka after supporters of former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa attacked peaceful antigovernment protesters demanding his ouster over the countrys worst economic crisis that led to acute shortages of staple food fuel and powerEarlier this week Galle district MP Ramesh Pathirana informed the Parliament that Senior Police DIG incharge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon had informed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that Inspector General of Police Chandana D Wickramaratne had instructed him not to block the mob heading to Galle Face to disrupt the antigovernment protesters online portal Colombo Gazette reportedPathirana added that the President demanded action be taken to prevent the situation from spiralling out of controlFollowing the Presidents orders police rushed to the spot and fired tear gas and water cannons on the mob by which time scores were injured and at least 10 people were dead according to Colombo GazetteMembers of CID interrogated Wickremaratna on Saturday officials saidLast week Sri Lankas CID quizzed three members of the ruling SLPP parliamentary group over their alleged involvement in the clashesTwo of their colleagues who were arrested previously have been remanded in custody till May 25On Friday Namal Rajapaksa a former minister and the son of former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was also summoned and his statement has been recordedMembers of the ruling coalition government blamed Opposition party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna for instigating the violence on May 9 which was vehemently denied by the Marxist partyThe mob destroyed several tents and other structures erected at Galle Face and also attacked some of the demonstratorsThe violence saw arson attacks on the homes of several politicians including the ancestral home of the Rajapaksas in HambantotaVideo footage showed the entire house of Mahinda Rajapaksa and his younger brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Medamulana in Hambantota city was burningThe properties of some 78 government parliamentarians faced arson in the ensuing attacksSri Lanka has been witnessing largescale protests against the governments handling of the debtridden economy the worstever economic crisis in the countrys historyThe country of 22 million is grappling with unprecedented economic turmoil since its independence from Britain in 1948The crisis is caused in part by a lack of foreign currency which has meant that the country cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel leading to acute shortages and very high pricesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever