Curfew imposed in Colombo District

Curfew has been imposed in the Colombo administrative district with effect from 12 noon today until 5.00 a.m. tomorrow (15), the Government Information Department announced. 

Acting President and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe has imposed the curfew under the provisions of the Public Security Ordinance, it said.

The curfew order directs that no person shall be on any public road, railway, public park, public recreation ground or other public ground or the seashore in such areas, during that period except under the authority of a written permit granted by Secretary to Ministry of Defence or Secretary to Ministry of Public Security or Inspector-General of Police or any officer authorized by them.

An island-wide curfew imposed from 12 noon yesterday was lifted at 5.00 a.m. today (14). Prior to that, the Acting President had ordered to impose a curfew in the Western Province and a state of emergency island-wide. 

He had also ordered the security forces to arrest those engaging in unruly behaviour and to take into custody the vehicles they travel in.

The move came as thousands of angry protesters gathered outside the PM’s office, and several other locations in Colombo. Protesters had later stormed and occupied the prime minister’s office.