Sri Lankan police extended a curfew across two popular coastal resorts Sunday as Muslims and hard-line Buddhists clashed sparking street rioting that renewed religious tensions in the country. Police said they fired teargas and widened the curfew to Beruwala, a predominantly Muslim area, after initial violence broke out in the neighbouring town of Alutgama, 60 kilometres (37 miles) south of the capital Colombo.
Both areas are popular beach resorts frequented by international tourists, but there were no reports of any foreigners caught up in the violence. President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is currently visiting Bolivia, said in a statement that he will not allow "anyone to take the law into their own hand".
"An investigation will be held for (the) law to take its course of action to bring to book those responsible for incidents in Alutgama," the President said on Twitter. "I urge all parties concerned to act with restraint."