May 10, Colombo: Sri Lanka Police say that protesters who had broken into President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Soothsayer Gnanaakka’s house, devalaya and hotel in Anuradhapura this morning (10) have set them on fire and completely destroyed them.

It was noteworthy that nearly 200 Army personnel have been called in to provide security to the soothsayer’s residence in the Isurupura area in Anuradhapura

However, the protesters have stormed Gnanakka’s house around 1 am this morning. Initially, troops have tried to protect the house, but later, the army withdrew as the protesters broke through the wall built around the house.

The protesters then set fire to Gnanakka’s house after distributing some of its belongings to the villagers and the house was completely destroyed.

The protesters then stormed the shrine, leaving statues unharmed and only damaging property.

Eventually, the protesters stormed Gnanakka’s Hotel on Kandy Road, destroying all its properties and completely burning it.

However, security forces who had protected Gnanakka’s house earlier had not attempted to provide security to the shrine and the hotel after the house was set on fire.