Thousands of people across Sri Lanka took to the streets on Wednesday, a day after police opened fire on demonstrators, killing one person and injuring 13 others, reigniting widespread protests amid the country's worst economic crisis in decades.
Protesters used vehicles to block key roads in many parts of the country as they demonstrated against the shooting as well as rising fuel prices and the government's failure to resolve the deepening economic problems.
The shooting was the first by Sri Lankan security forces during weeks of protests.
The shooting occurred Tuesday in Rambukkana, 90 kilometers (55 miles) northeast of Colombo, the capital. Fifteen police officers were also admitted to a hospital with minor injuries after clashes with protesters.
Police said the demonstrators had blocked railway tracks and roads and ignored police warnings to disperse. Police also said protesters threw rocks at them.
Sri Lanka is on the brink of bankruptcy, with nearly $7 billion of its total $25 billion in foreign debt due for repayment this year.
A severe shortage of foreign exchange means the country lacks money to buy imported goods.