Muslim killed in Sri Lanka riots despite curfew
Sri Lanka officials lifted the nationwide curfew
imposed over religiously-fueled riots on Tuesday, but decided to reimpose it in
the North-Western Province (NWP) where a Muslim man was killed overnight,
Deutshe Welle reported.
The 45-year-old man was hacked to death and died
shortly after being rushed to a hospital.
"Mobs had attacked him with sharp weapons at
his carpentry workshop," a police official said. "This is the first
death from the riots."
Most of the rioters were apparently members of the
country's Buddhist majority.
Security forces fired tear gas to disperse mobs in
several parts of the province on the second day of violence, which also saw
many Muslim-owned buildings and mosques ransacked.
The government also temporarily banned social media
networks and messaging apps after similar attacks in several towns on Sunday.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe denounced the
rioters and urged the public to dismiss the rumors.
"I appeal to all citizens to remain calm and
not be swayed by false information," Wickremesinghe said on Twitter, which
was left functioning amid the social media blockade.
