Sri Lanka crisis turns violent as one killed at ex-minister Arjuna Ranatunga's office

SUMMARY

A political crisis in Sri Lanka took a deadly turn on Sunday, with one person killed when a sacked cabinet minister tried to re-enter his office, days after the president removed the prime minister and installed a powerful ally of China in his place. Sunday's violence took place at the headquarters of state oil company Ceylon Petroleum Corp, where Arjuna Ranatunga, petroleum minister in the ousted cabinet, tried to re-enter his office. Police said one of Ranatunga's security guards opened fire. One person was killed and two wounded. The guard had been arrested and an investigation launched, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. Ranatunga was safe and the security guard's motive was not immediately clear, he added. Sri Lanka has been plunged into crisis since Friday, when President Maithripala Sirisena abruptly sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and swore in ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new prime minister to replace him. On Saturday, Sirisena suspended parliament until November 16, a move the ousted prime minister's supporters say was intended to prevent lawmakers from showing support for Wickremesinghe. Image Source: Reuters/Associated Press (AP)

By CNBC-TV18Oct 29, 2018 10:19:06 AM IST (Published)

Supporters cheers Sri Lanka's sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe during an interaction at his official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka Saturday, October. 27, 2018. Sri Lanka's president has suspended parliament even as the prime minister he fired claimed he has majority support, adding to a growing political crisis in the South Asian island nation. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A Sri Lankan woman walks past a notice board covered with posters carrying portraits of President Maithripala Sirisena and newly appointed Prime Minster Mahinda Rajapaksa at a street in Colombo, Sri Lanka Sunday, October 28, 2018. Sri Lanka's president suspended Parliament even as the prime minister he fired the previous day claimed he has majority support, adding to a growing political crisis in the South Asian island nation. Posters read " Our respect for the decision took on behalf of the country." (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Supporters of sacked Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe gather outside his official residence as a police commando stands guard in Colombo, Sri Lanka Sunday, October 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Supporters of sacked Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe gather outside his official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka Sunday. Oct. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A Sri Lankan man watches a televised speech by president Maithripala Sirisena at their residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka Sunday, October 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lankan security forces are deployed near the petroleum ministry building in Colombo, Sri Lanka Sunday, October 28, 2018. Arjuna Ranatunga who was petroleum minister under Wickremesinghe said one of his security guards opened fire when Rajapaksa supporters mobbed him and protested against him entering the ministry premises. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A supporter of newly appointed Sri Lankan prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa shouts at police officers outside petroleum ministry building in Colombo, Sri Lanka Sunday, October 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lankan security forces are deployed near the petroleum ministry building in Colombo, Sri Lanka Sunday, October 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Members of Sri Lanka's Special Task Force and the police stand guard next to a poster of newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa after an official security guard of sacked minister Arjuna Ranatunga shot and wounded three people in front of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, in Colombo, Sri Lanka October 28, 2018. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Members of Sri Lanka's Special Task Force and the police chase away supporters of Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa after an official security guard of sacked minister Arjuna Ranatunga shot and wounded three people in front of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, in Colombo, Sri Lanka October 28, 2018. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Supporters of Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa argue with members of the Special Task Force and the police after an official security guard of sacked minister Arjuna Ranatunga shot and wounded three people in front of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, in Colombo, Sri Lanka October 28, 2018. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Members of Sri Lanka's Special Task Force and the police chase away supporters of Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa after an official security guard of sacked minister Arjuna Ranatunga shot and wounded three people in front of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, in Colombo, Sri Lanka October 28, 2018. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Supporters of Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa gather as members of the Special Task Force and the police stand guard after an official security guard of sacked minister Arjuna Ranatunga shot and wounded three people in front of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, in Colombo, Sri Lanka October 28, 2018. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Newly appointed Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, center, talks with his supporters at a Buddhist temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka Friday, October 26, 2018. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has sacked the country's prime minister and replaced him with a former strongman, state television said on Friday. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Newly appointed Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, left, embraces his brother former defense secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at a Buddhist temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka Friday, October 26, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Newly appointed Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, center, leaves a Buddhist temple after meeting his supporters in Colombo, Sri Lanka Friday, October 26, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sinhala language newspapers carrying headlines of the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as new prime minister are piled up at a newspaper stand in Colombo, Sri Lanka Saturday, October 27, 2018. Newspaper reads " Prime minister is Mahinda".(AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A Sri Lankan man reads newspaper headlines reporting the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as new prime minister in Colombo, Sri Lanka Saturday, October 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe, left, speaks to Champika Ranawaka, a collation party leader, during a media briefing in Colombo, Sri Lanka Saturday, October 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe, center, interacts with his supporters at his official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka Saturday, October 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

After Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe, center,Wickremesinghe interacts with his supporters at his official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Supporters cheer Sri Lanka's sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe during an interaction at his official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka Saturday, October 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)