COLOMBO, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's police on Monday said security has been further beefed up in Negombo on the outskirts of Sri Lanka's capital Colombo following violent clashes which erupted on Sunday night.
Police Spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekara told Xinhua that the clashes had erupted due to a personal dispute between two individuals which soon escalated between two groups clashing on streets.
Pictures from the area showed motor bicycles and three wheelers set on fire on the roads early Monday morning, while houses were also damaged.
A police curfew was imposed with immediate effect on Sunday night, which was lifted at 7:00 a.m. local time on Monday.
Eye witnesses said many mobs, however, defied the police curfew by roaming the streets, damaging houses and vehicles throughout the night.
The Government Information Department said social media was temporarily blocked for all users across the island on Sunday night, which was lifted on Monday morning, to prevent the spread of false information.
Police have maintained a high security presence in Negombo since the Easter Sunday terror attacks which killed over 250 people and injured over 500 others.
The Easter attacks targeted three luxury hotels and three churches, including St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo.
