Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Flees After Protestors Storm Residence

Colombo: Sri Lanka's beleaguered President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been compelled to flee from his official residence in Colombo on July 9 after angry protestors, who had gathered to demand his resignation, stormed the presidential compound.

The Sri Lankan President was escorted to safety and his security fired in the air so as to prevent the anry crowds from overrunning the President's Palace.

Thousands of agitators clashed with the police and breached barricades to storm the President's official residence and this violent incident led to at least seven people, including two policemen, incurring injuries.

According to reports, the police tried their best to disperse the crowd but their efforts went in vain as they were unable to stop the crowd from surrounding the presidential residence even after firing shots in the air.

Moreover, protests live-streamed the breach on Facebook. Video clips showed people yelling slogans against Rajapaksa as they marched through rooms and corridors of the palatial building.

Several people strolled around on the grounds outside the colonial-era structure with no security officials in sight.

It is rather hilarious to note that some of the protestors were seen swimming in the Sri Lankan President's pool. 

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has suffered through months of food and fuel shortages, lengthy blackouts and galloping inflation after running out of foreign currency to import vital goods.

Hordes of people had flocked into the capital for the demonstration, the latest expression of unrest triggered by the unprecedented crisis.

It is to be mentioned that Sri Lanka has defaulted on its $51 billion external debt and has been in bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.

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