The Indian government has refused to let Sri Lanka’s Gotabaya Rajapaksa land at a civilian airport in the country using an air force jet reports SBS Sinhala, as the embattled president reportedly searches for a way to flee the island.
According to SBS, “the Indian government refused to allow a Sri Lankan air force AN32, carrying the president, to land at an Indian civilian airport”.
Read more from SBS here.
A Sri Lankan Air Force Antonov 32, the aircraft Rajapaksa was reportedly attempting to flee in (Courtesy: Sean d'Silva).
The news follows reports that the US embassy in Colombo denied Rajapaksa a visitor’s visa to enter the country.
“It was made very clear to him that there will be no visa for him,” a representative from the US embassy in Colombo reportedly told SBS Sinhala.
Read more: US denies visa to Gotabaya Rajapaksa
The Sri Lankan president and his brother, former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa, both attempted to flee the island via air last night, but were hindered by angry locals and airport staff who refused to serve them.
The whereabouts of both men remain unknown.
