"Stealing the Presidential Cup and Using It as a Bed Sheet"... Sri Lankan Man Arrested by Police

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] A man who used the official presidential flag stolen during protests as a bedsheet was arrested by police in Sri Lanka, where a state of emergency has been declared amid the worst economic crisis, AFP reported on the 30th (local time).

According to the report, Sri Lankan police announced that they arrested labor union leader Udeni Kalutantri on charges of breaking into the presidential residence and stealing two presidential flags. Kalutantri reportedly used the flags as bedsheets and sarongs (a garment worn around the waist in South Asia and other regions).

This fact was revealed after his son posted a related video on social networking services (SNS). In the video, a man is seen lying diagonally on a bed covered with the presidential flag, speaking in the local language while looking at the screen. A police official said they confirmed his identity through the video footage, adding, "He told investigators that he burned another flag, but we confirmed that the flag was used as a sarong."

Earlier, on the 9th, large-scale anti-government protests took place in the capital Colombo and other areas, during which protesters stormed the presidential office and residence, and also set fire to the prime minister's residence. In the process, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to a military base and then escaped abroad; he is currently staying in Singapore. On the 14th, President Rajapaksa sent his resignation via email to the Speaker of Parliament, which was accepted the following day. Subsequently, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as the new president by the parliament.

Sri Lanka has decided to extend the state of emergency, declared on the 17th, until mid-August. During the state of emergency, the military is granted authority to arrest civilians, ban assemblies, and conduct searches. Facing the worst economic crisis, Sri Lanka entered a state of default in May and is currently negotiating bailout support with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.