Sri Lanka protests leave over 200 injured

Streets were calm on May 10 in the Sri Lankan commercial capital of Colombo, after a day of clashes that killed seven people and injured more than 200, police said, in violence that prompted Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to resign, Report informs referring to Reuters.

As the Indian Ocean nation battles its worst economic crisis in history, thousands of protesters defied curfew to attack government figures, setting ablaze homes, shops and businesses belonging to ruling party lawmakers and provincial politicians.

"The situation is calmer now, though there are still reports of sporadic unrest," said police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa.

About 200 people were injured in addition to the seven killed as violence flared nationwide, prompting an island wide curfew until 7:00 a.m. on May 11.

No arrests have yet been made in the incidents of violence, the spokesman said, attributing three of the deaths to gunshot injuries.

The attacks on government figures came in apparent reprisal for an incident just hours before Rajapaksa's resignation.

On May 9, Rajapaksa spoke to hundreds of supporters gathered at his official residence following reports that he was considering stepping down.