By IANS,
Colombo : Violence broke out in parts of Sri Lanka Wednesday as fishermen protested a hike in fuel price.
One fisherman was killed and many others were injured when the protesters clashed with police in Chilaw in the north western coastal belt, reported Xinhua.
Sri Lanka police spokesperson Ajith Rohana said the police were forced to fire tear gas as the protest got out of hand.
However, he said that there were no immediate reports of the police firing live ammunition at the fishermen though reports said that the fisherman who died in Chilaw succumbed to gunshot injuries.
In Negambo, a town close to Sri Lanka’s only international airport, another group of fishermen staged a demonstration over the fuel price hike by blocking the main road.
The fishermen are demanding a reduction in the price of fuel or some sort of concession as they use fuel to operate their fishing boats.
Earlier this week, private bus operators also went on strike over the fuel price hike, but the government subsequently gave the approval for private bus operators to raise their fares to cushion any loss they may incur from the fuel price rise.
The Sri Lankan government last week increased the price of petrol, diesel and kerosene, saying it was in line with the world market price of oil.