Lanka crisis: Protesters set afire PM Wickremesinghe's home; Gotabaya to resign

A group of protesters late Saturday (July 9) night entered the private residence of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and set it on fire amid a massive public protest in the country over the unprecedented economic crisis.

As per reports, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also fled the country’s shores in a Naval ship after protesters stormed his official residence in Colombo.

The protestors entered Wickremesinghe’s house and set the place on fire after a tense situation erupted between the protestors and security forces on the ground. The incident came hours after he offered to resign to make way for an all-party government as protests intensified in the country for the resignation of the government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Despite tear gas being fired on the protestors to disperse, they entered his house and set the house on fire.

Wickremesinghe even offered to resign to pave way for an all-party government.

“To ensure the continuation of the Government including the safety of all citizens I accept the best recommendation of the Party Leaders today, to make way for an All-Party Government. To facilitate this I will resign as Prime Minister,” Wickremesinghe tweeted.

To ensure the continuation of the Government including the safety of all citizens I accept the best recommendation of the Party Leaders today, to make way for an All-Party Government.

To facilitate this I will resign as Prime Minister.

— Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP) July 9, 2022

Anti-government protesters demanded Gotabaya’s resignation and entered his house on Saturday, reports said.

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“The President was escorted to safety,” a defence source said and that troops fired in the air to prevent angry crowds from overrunning the President’s Palace, an AFP report said.

Police used tear gas and water cannons and opened fire to disperse protesters this morning to prevent protesters from entering. However, the protesters entered the President’s House after putting down the barricades, a PTI report said.

Later in the day, reports surfaced that luggage was rushed onto the Sri Lanka Navy Ship Gajabahu anchored at the Colombo Port, News 1st channel reported on Saturday.

“The Harbour Master at the Colombo Port said that a group boarded the SLNS Sindurala and SLNS Gajabahu and left the port,” it added.

He said he cannot provide details of the manifest or about those who boarded the vessels, the channel said.

While there were reports that Rajapaksa had left the country, there is no official confirmation about the same.

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Gotabaya who was facing calls for resignation since March was using the President’s House as his residence and office since protesters came to occupy the entrance to his office early April.

President Gotabaya had already vacated the premises before the protests began in Colombo.

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Meanwhile, at least 30 persons including two police officers were injured during ongoing protests and were admitted to the National Hospital in Colombo.

Sri Lanka is facing the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948 which has led to an acute shortage of essential items like food, medicine, cooking gas and fuel across the country.

The street protests have been triggered across the country over the poor handling of the economic crisis and the lack of accountability to it.

(With inputs from agencies)