Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned Monday after dozens of people were hospitalised when his supporters armed with sticks and clubs attacked protestors.
On Monday the biggest clashes since the start of the crisis erupted in Colombo when supporters of the Rajapaksa family went on the rampage, AFP reporters at the scene said.
Police fired tear gas and water cannon and declared an immediate curfew in Colombo which was later widened to include the entire South Asian island nation of 22 million people.
At least 78 injured people were hospitalised, Colombo National Hospital spokesman Pushpa Soysa told AFP.
Rajapaksa had however addressed some 3,000 supporters at his house and pledged he would “protect the interests of the nation.”
