Unidentified gunmen fired shots and pelted stones at a bus carrying displaced Muslim voters as it travelled to Mannar on Saturday, despite the massive Sri Lankan security presence in place as Sri Lanka’s presidential elections began to get underway.
The bus had been carrying a group of Muslim voters from Puttalam to Mannar, when it was attacked on the early hours of Saturday morning.
“The gunmen opened fire and also pelted stones,” said a Sri Lankan police official. “At least two buses were hit.”
Trees had also been felled and placed along the road to prevent the buses from travelling further, in a seemingly co-ordinated attack.
No-one was injured in the attack, and the bus driver managed to take the vehicle to Chettikulam police station, where Sri Lankan police are reportedly carrying out further investigations.
The attack comes despite an extra 60,000 police officers deployed across the island, as Sri Lanka ramped up security.
