Colombo: Police curfew has been imposed in a town of Sri Lanka after miscreants pelted stones at mosques and Muslim-owned stores, on Sunday. The chaos broke out reportedly over a Facebook post.
As per Reuters, a local man was beaten in the town of Chilaw on Sri Lanka’s west coast, on Sunday over a dispute that started on Facebook.
It may be recalled that about three weeks ago Sri Lanka was attacked by Islamist bombers who blew up themselves in four hotels and three churches, killing more than 250 people.
After this incident, Muslims across the country have complained of harassment.
It is said that a FB conversation between two persons snowballed into crisis here. A person had written in Sinhalese that it is difficult to make Sri Lankans cry and added a local slur against Muslim men. A Facebook user identified as Hasmar Hameed replied in English: “Dont laugh more 1 day u will cry.”
Soon after his development, locals in Chilaw, a majority Christian town angry crowd beat him up. Mob went on rampage pelting stones at Mosques and Muslim owned shops.
The police said that they have arrested Abdul Hameed Mohammad Hasmar for the post.
“A police curfew has been imposed in Chilaw Police area with immediate effect until 6am tomorrow to control the tense situation,” police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera told Reuters. The police later said the curfew would be lifted at 4am.
