Insight Bureau:  Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has declared a nationwide public emergency late on Friday following violent protests over the worst economic crisis in the Country.

Rajapaksa said in a Government gazette notification that he took decision in the interests of public security and supply of essential services.

Several people were injured and vehicles were set on fire as the agitation turned violent on Thursday when more than 2000 people held a protest march in Colombo and clashed with the police outside President’s residence.

Sri Lanka is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. With long lines for fuel, cooking gas, short supply of essentials and long hours of power cuts the public has been suffering for weeks.

It is pertinent to mention here that Diesel was no longer on sale across Sri Lanka on Thursday while Petrol was on sale but in short supply.