Sri Lankan police on Saturday arrested at least 19 people after violentclashes erupted in the southern Galle District Friday night.
A police curfew which had been imposed in six areas across the Galle District was lifted on Saturday morning. A police official told Xinhua that the situation had not returned to normal and tight security wold remain across the district throughout the day, says a XINHUA report.
Over 200 police officers and 100 officers from the Special Task Force had been deployed in Galle following the violence which erupted between Buddhist and Muslim groups on Friday night.
Media reports said the groups had clashed over an accident which had escalated to violence.
Several people were injured in the clashes while some houses had also been damaged.
Government ministers who visited the scene said the government would not
tolerate any communal disharmony and would take stern action against those attempting to spread racism.