The Sri Lankan authorities have arrested over 660 people for participating in riots on May 9 and 10, Sri Lankan media outlet news First reported on Tuesday, citing police.
A total number of people arrested due to the violent clashes, which took place on May 9-10, has increased to 664, with 206 already released on bail, according to the report. Over the past 24 hours, 258 people have been arrested, of which 67 were released on bail, the report says, adding that 43 have been remanded.
On the morning of May 9, clashes broke out in Sri Lanka between supporters and opponents of the ruling party Sri Lanka People’s Front. The unrest in the country’s capital began after several thousand supporters of the ruling party, brought by buses from the countryside, attacked the opposition’s campsite, and later clashed with them at a rally near the residences of the prime minister and the president of the country. Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowds. Nine people, including two police officers, were killed and more than 240 injured in the riots, according to the police—Agencies
