Mahela, Sanga denounce 'govt-backed thugs'

ICC Match Referee Roshan Mahanama joined his countrymen in the protest against the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government in Colombo.

'Staying at home while watching the country go into chaos was not an option. As soon as possible, I walked to Galle Face (in uptown Colombo) from home last afternoon to stand in solidarity with the fellow protestors and to show my support towards the fight against the corrupt, power hungry leaders,' Mahanama, who played 52 Tests and 213 ODIs, tweeted along with a picture of him alongside protestors.

Also raising their voices against the violence were cricket legends Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Sanath Jayasuriya.

On Monday, pro-government supporters attacked opponents of the Rajapaksa regime in Colombo.

Sri Lanka's former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is facing calls for his arrest for allegedly inciting the violence against peaceful anti-government protesters that claimed at least eight lives, left over 200 people injured and saw arson attacks on the homes of several politicians.

Mahinda, 76, resigned as prime minister on Monday amid unprecedented economic turmoil, hours after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters, prompting authorities to impose a nation-wide curfew and deploy the Sri Lankan military in the capital Colombo.