Emergency declared in Sri Lanka to quell riots

Sri Lankan police commandos patrol the streets of Pallekele, a suburb of Kandy, on Tuesday following anti-Muslim riots that have prompted the government to declare a state of emergency. (Photo: AFP)

Colombo: Sri Lanka declared a nationwide state of emergency for 10 days on Tuesday to stop the spread of communal violence after clashes erupted between majority Buddhists and members of the minority Muslim community.

Anti-Muslim riots have left two people dead and more than 100 homes and shops ablaze in the popular hill resort of Kandy. The government said it was imposing the extraordinary measures after police failed to curb violence in Kandy, a central district famed for its tea plantations and Buddhist relics.

Armed forces were deployed to bolster security in addition to a unit of elite police commandos who were sent in to restore order after rioters defied an overnight curfew and went on the rampage. Tensions rose in Kandy Tuesday as the body of a 24-year-old Muslim man was pulled out of a burnt building. Police said two dozen people had been arrested following the riots and remanded for two weeks.  — Agencies