Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled Sri Lanka on a military aircraft, amid mass protests over its economic crisis

India has categorically denied media reports that it has a hand in fleeing away of crisis-ridden Sri Lanka’s resident Gotabaya Rajapaksa from the island country.

“High Commission categorically denies baseless and speculative media reports that India facilitated the recent reported travel of Gotabaya Rajapaksa out of Sri Lanka,” Colombo-based Indian High Commission said in its tweet on Wednesday.

“It is reiterated that India will continue to support the people of Sri Lanka,” the High Commission added.

According to BBC, the Sri Lankan air force confirmed the 73-year-old flew to the Maldives along with his wife and two security officials.

The British broadcaster said Gotabaya and his wife landed in Male, the Maldivian capital at around 03.00 local time.

Meanwhile, as the acting President, Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared a nationwide state of emergency following the emergence of mass protests across the island country hours after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country.

An indefinite curfew has been imposed across the island nation’s western province, including Colombo, to contain the growing protests.

As per media reports, PM Wickremesinghe has ordered the security forces to arrest those acting in a riotous manner.

Sri Lankans blame the Rajapaksas for mismanagement of the country’s economy.