As Sri Lanka faces one of it’s worst economic crises, the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency beginning from midnight in a bid to deal with the escalating anti-government protests. The protestors are seeking for the resignation of the President and the government.
The President has handed sweeping powers to the security forces as the emergency begins from Friday midnight. Earlier on Friday, the Sri Lankan Police fired tear gas and water cannon at students trying to storm Sri Lanka’s parliament.
This is the second Emergency in five weeks amidst the country’s acute food , fuel and electricity shortage.
The state of emergency gives the security forces and the police the power to detain and arrest people.