Sri Lanka Declares Emergency, Situation Normal In Colombo

A day after Buddhists and Muslims clashed in the Indian Ocean island’s central district of Kandy, the Sri Lankan government has declared a state of Emergency for 10 days to rein in the spread of communal violence, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.

The Maithripala Sirisena government has declared a nationwide 10-day-long state of emergency, following deployment of police and military forces into the district of Kandy and imposing a curfew to prevent any kind of communal clashes.

On the other hand, the Indian cricket team is scheduled to face Sri Lanka in the first match of the triangular Nidahas Trophy, that also features Bangladesh, at 7 pm at Colombo's Premadasa Stadium. Amidst the emergency situation in the island nation, the T20 tournament is set to continue as per schedule.

"The Indian cricket board is in constant touch with the Sri Lankan government authorities. The security is foolproof and we have been assured that there is no threat to the tournament. So the Indian team, as of now, will be playing the tournament," BCCI acting president C K Khanna told PTI.

The Sri Lanka government decided to declare Emergency came a murder of a Buddhist man. Also, a mob set fire to a Muslim-owned shop.

Of the 21 million population of Sri Lanka, the Buddhist Sinhalese comprise nearly three-fourths of it. The rest of the country’s polulation is divided among Hindus and Muslims.