COLOMBO, April 1 (Xinhua) -- The curfew imposed for hours in several areas of Sri Lanka's capital of Colombo due to a protest outside the president's house was lifted on Friday morning, the police said.
Thousands of protesters gathered outside the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday night, urging him to resolve the ongoing crisis as Sri Lanka faced a 13-hour power cut on Thursday.
Eye witnesses said the president was not in his residence when the protest erupted.
Security was heightened outside the president's house and later the protest became violent when protesters pelted stones at the army personnel and broke down a barricade.
Police fired water cannons and tear gas. Local media said dozens of people including police officers, who were injured during the protest, were sent to hospitals.
As protesters refused to disperse in the early hours of Friday, police declared a curfew in Colombo North, Colombo South, Colombo Central and Nugegoda Police Divisions.
The country has been facing a power crisis, gas shortage and a shortage in its basic essential items, triggered by a foreign exchange shortage.
President Rajapaksa last month assured Sri Lankans that he was looking at resolving the issues and was in discussions with friendly nations for economic assistance. ■
