A Sri Lankan court on Thursday banned former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, his son Namal and 15 allies from leaving the country. It further asked the police to investigate the mob attack that took place on May 9.
Speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP), a court official said that there was a petition filed to arrest Rajapaksa and his associates. “But the magistrate turned it down because police anyway have powers to detain any suspect,” the official said.
On May 9, soon after Rajapaksa’s resignation, clashes occurred between Rajapaksa’s loyalist and anti-government protestors leaving 300 injured. The former Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s ancestral residence was also burned down to ashes.
Rajapaksa and his family are currently taking refugees at the naval base in Trincomalee.
| Posted by Veena Nair | 