Residents of Mannar staged protests on Friday night (26) as turbines and other equipment for a proposed wind power plant were transported into the town.
The demonstrators called for an immediate halt to the transport of machinery and demanded that the construction of the wind power facility on Mannar Island be stopped. They also renewed their calls to end mineral sand mining in the area.
According to police, the Riot Control Unit was deployed to ensure the vehicles carrying the equipment entered the town. However, residents alleged that police assaulted protesters, leaving three people injured. Police, meanwhile, denied using force, stating that officers only intervened to maintain order.
Friday marked the 55th consecutive day of protests in central Mannar against the project. Demonstrators warned that the wind power plant could worsen flooding during the rainy season by obstructing natural water flow in the town.
Religious leaders and civil society groups from Mannar had previously met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on August 13 to raise their concerns. At the time, the president pledged to reconsider the project, but residents say no action has been taken since.
