Arjuna Ranatunga\, Sri Lanka’s Petroleum Minister\, arrested

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Arjuna Ranatunga, Sri Lanka’s Petroleum Minister, arrested

Supporters of Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa argue with members of the Special Task Force and the police after an official security guard of sacked minister Arjuna Ranatunga shot and wounded three people in front of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, in Colombo, Sri Lanka October 28, 2018.

Supporters of Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa argue with members of the Special Task Force and the police after an official security guard of sacked minister Arjuna Ranatunga shot and wounded three people in front of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, in Colombo, Sri Lanka October 28, 2018.   | Photo Credit: Reuters

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On Sunday, his bodyguards fired live rounds at supporters of new Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, leaving one dead

Sri Lanka’s Petroleum Minister and former cricketer Arjuna Ranatunga was arrested on Monday for the violent incident amid the ongoing political crisis in the country that killed one person, police said.

Mr. Ranatunga was the captain of Sri Lanka’s 1996 cricket World Cup winning side.

The political crises in Sri Lanka took an ugly turn on Sunday when bodyguards of the 54-year-old Mr. Ranatunga, a loyalist of former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, fired live rounds at the supporters of the new Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, leaving one person dead.

Two persons were hospitalised and a security personnel was arrested at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) premises in Dematagoda following a tense situation.

The incident took place when the cricketer-turned-politician visited the CPC office, with several petroleum corporation workers objecting to his presence there.

When they were not allowed to move out, Mr. Ranatunga’s security personnel opened fire which injured three persons, police said. Unconfirmed reports said two of Mr. Ranatunga’s security personnel have been arrested.