Sri Lankan Police arrest three persons for setting fire to PM Wickremesinghe's private residence

Sri Lankan police on Sunday arrested three people for setting Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's private residence on fire a day earlier, amidst massive anti-government protests, media reports said. A group of irate protesters on Saturday entered Wickremesinghe's private residence at Cambridge Place here and set it on fire amid a massive public protest in the country over the unprecedented economic crisis.

Among those arrested include a 19-year-old Mount Lavinia resident and two residents of Galle, aged 24 and 28 respectively, web portal Colombo Page reported, quoting the Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Talduwa.

More arrests are on the anvil, as the police have widened their scope of investigations, he said.


Talduwa said the suspects are currently in the custody of Colpetty Police, and will be produced in court later on Sunday, web portal Lanka First reported.

The residence was replete with a rare collection of books and old Buddha statues, most of which Wickremesinghe had inherited, the report said, quoting a spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office.

The extent of the damage to the building is not yet known.

Wickremesinghe and his spouse Professor Maithrie Wickremesinghe stayed in this residence, the report said.

The incident came hours after Wickremesinghe offered to resign to make way for an all-party government.

Embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has also offered to resign on July 13.

Hours before his decision, a huge mob broke the police cordon and entered the Presidential House.