Sri Lanka imposes curfew in city after clashes

Colombo March 5 (IANS) The Sri Lankan police on Monday imposed curfew in Kandy city which lies in the central hills of the island country after clashes triggered by racial violence erupted between two groups.

Police spokesman S.P. Ruwan Gunasekara told Xinhua news agency that the curfew had been imposed till 6 a.m. on Tuesday in order to restore normalcy. Security was beefed up across Kandy district.

Gunasekara said clashes had erupted in the city s Digana town on Sunday night after a 41-year-old man succumbed to injuries at a hospital after being attacked by a group of people over an incident involving two vehicles on February 22.

Gunasekara said 24 people had been arrested over the killing so far. Out of the 24 10 were directly involved in the killing of the victim while 14 people were arrested on suspicion.

However protests continued throughout the night with violent mobs clashing with each other on Monday afternoon.

The police used teargas to disperse crowds and later imposed curfew throughout the district.

--IANS
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