Photos: In crisis-hit Sri Lanka, protesters storm President’s home

A massive protest broke out in crisis-hit Sri Lanka on Saturday, demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. President Rajapaksa fled his official residence shortly before hundreds of protesters stormed and overran the compound. A top defence source told news agency AFP that as protesters surged at the gates of the President's Palace, troops guarding the compound fired in the air to hold back the tide until Rajapaksa was safely removed. The protesters have blamed the President for the economic woes and have occupied the entrance to his office for three months. Following the unrest, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe summoned an emergency meeting of political leaders and also requested the speaker to summon parliament.

Published on: Jul 09, 2022 4:06 PM IST

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Demonstrators protest inside the President's House, after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, (via Reuters)

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Protesters try to remove a tear gas shell after it was fired by police to disperse them in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday.  (AP)

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A demonstrator throws back a tear gas grenade towards police members as police use tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators during a protest demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.  (via Reuters)

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Police use tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators near President's residence during a protest demanding the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, amid the economic crisis, in Colombo. (Reuters)

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Published on Jul 09, 2022 4:06 PM

A demonstrator reacts to tear gas used by police during a protest demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, amid the country's economic crisis, near the president's residence in Colombo. (Reuters)