Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has fled the capital Colombo with his family to a naval base in the northeastern city of Trincomalee in the face of violence and public outrage over the unprecedented economic crisis.
Indian media outlet NDTV reported on Wednesday (May 10) citing relevant sources.According to the report, the former prime minister and his family were taken to the naval base by helicopter. However, protests continued outside the naval base, about 260 kilometers from Colombo.
Earlier on Monday, Mahinda Rajapaksa was forced to resign as prime minister in the face of violent protests. However, public anger did not abate. During the day and night, thousands of protesters broke through the main gate of Rajapaksa’s residence and entered.
They tried to attack the main two-storey building of the ‘Temple Tree’ residence in the capital. There, the prime minister was trapped with his family members.
It is learned that Rajapakse and his family left the official residence of Colombo under army guard before dawn on Tuesday.
