Sri Lankan court bans Rajapaksa, son and others from leaving country

Colombo: Days after stepping down as prime minister, Mahindra Rajapaksa faced another setback on Thursday after a Sri Lankan court banned him from leaving the country.

The court's decision comes amid rumours that the cornered leader could leave the country. Social media in the island nation was reportedly abuzz that his family had already left for some foreign country.

The court also banned 15 others including his son, MPs and senior police offers from the leaving the crisis-ridden country for instigating Monday's violence.

The bouts of violence erupted in the capital streets killed nine people and injured over 300.

Colombo's Magistrate court issued travel ban on former PM, his son MP Namal and others as they participated a meeting on Monday with Rajapaksa's supporters. The supporters later reportedly attacked peaceful protesters in front of his residence and President's office.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, his son and others, who had attended the meeting, need to be present in Sri Lanka for the ongoing investigations on the attacks.

They were suspected to have conspired and planned the attacks, according to IANS.

The pro-Rajapaksa supporters armed with clubs, poles and iron bars, had attacked the protesters.

With inputs from IANS