RAMBUKKANA UNDER POLICE FIRE

• Protestors  were demanding uninterrupted fuel supplies and voicing their anger  against the fuel hike
• Police curfew imposed in the area until further notice

By JAMILA HUSAIN AND DARSHANA SANJEEWA BALASURIYA   

Rambukkana reached a boiling point last afternoon when  police opened fire on a group of protestors who were protesting for 15  hours against the fuel price hike and the shortage of fuel in the local  sheds, leaving one person dead and 24 others injured. 

The violence is the first where police opened fire on  protestors since the ‘Go Home Gota’ campaigns started across the country  triggered by the economic crisis and the shortage in fuel, power, and  essential supplies. Eyewitnesses on ground said that the protestors  were demanding uninterrupted fuel supplies and voicing their anger  against the fuel hike. Some claimed that some of the protestors who  later joined were from other areas.  
Videos from Rambukkana which surfaced on social media later  last evening showed scenes where police were seen opening fire on the  protestors while some scenes showed the police hitting the protestors  while dragging them onto a side. Scenes also showed protestors blocking a  fuel bowser and letting the air out of the tyres, with police urging the  protestors not to do so.   

The injured were rushed to the Kegalle and Rambukkana Hospital, with protestors seen blaming the Rambukkana OIC for the  carnage. As the incident heated up with police opening fire on the  protestors, Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa released a statement  soon after saying the police had opened fire as there were attempts by a  group of protestors to set fire to a fuel truck that had been blocked  by the protestors. SSP Thalduwa said that police had initially fired tear  gas to disperse the crowds to allow the fuel truck to transport the fuel  but the protestors had begun hurling large stones at the police and had  then set fire to a three-wheeler and attempted to light the fuel truck.  Later the police opened fire.  

The Police Spokesman said that eight police officers were  injured in the violence, but later last night Kegalla Hospital officials  said that 15 police officers had been admitted with injuries.  While the police claimed that the protestors had set fire  to the three-wheeler, some protestors said that it was the police who  had done so.   IGP C.D. Wickramaratne later in the night, in a statement  said that the Police had to use minimum force against the protestors in  Rambukkana.  He said the Police resorted to minimum force to prevent a group from setting fire to a Bowser with 30,000 litres of fuel.  He added the measures were taken to prevent huge damages  that may have been caused and said steps are being taken for a Police  Headquarters level investigation to ascertain whether the Police had  used excessive force when dispersing the protestors.  An immediate curfew was imposed in the area until further notice while STF was deployed.  

Police confirm they opened fire 

• Two protestors are critical and are undergoing surgery

 Police Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa has confirmed that the police have opened fire in Rambukkana after a group of protestors and police clashed, in an attempt to disperse the protestors. 

Kegalle Hospital sources said that at least one person has died and over 10 injured from gunshot injuries. Two protestors are critical and are undergoing surgery.  SSP Nihal Thalduwa said that the protestors had attempted to set fire to a bowser and a three-wheeler and the police had later fired tear gas to disperse the crowds. However the protestors had then hurled stones at the policemen after which the police opened fire he said. Several police personnel have also been injured in the clash.