Sri Lankan protesters claim of finding 17.85 mn rupees inside Prez's residence

Colombo: The anti-government protesters in Sri Lanka who stormed embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's official residence have claimed to have recovered 17.85 million Sri Lankan Rupees inside his mansion.

A video was being shared on social media showing the protesters counting the currency notes that were unearthed.

Protesters said they had found 17,850,000 Sri Lankan Rupees at the President's official residence on Sunday when they stormed into the mansion after breaking the barricades.

They have handed over the cash to the local police.

Hundreds of anti-government protesters on Saturday stormed into Rajapaksa's residence in central Colombo's high-security Fort area after breaking the barricades, as they demanded his resignation over the island nation's worst economic crisis in recent memory. Another group of protesters entered the private residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and set it on fire.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Opposition parties on Sunday decided to form an all-party interim government after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe agreed to resign in the wake of unprecedented street protests during which both leaders' houses were stormed by irate protesters over the government's mishandling of the nation's worst economic crisis.

Opposition parties on Sunday held talks to seek ways to steer the country forward amidst the unprecedented economic crisis after President Rajapaksa on Saturday informed Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena from an undisclosed location that he will step down on Wednesday.

"We agreed in principle to form a government of unity with all parties' participation for an interim period," Wimal Weerawansa of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party's breakaway group said.

This will be a government where all parties are represented," he said.

Vasudeva Nanayakkara, another leader of the SLPP's breakaway group, said they need not wait for Rajapaksa's resignation on July 13.

Rajapaksa, 73, appears to have gone underground in the face of massive public anger over the unprecedented economic crisis since the country became independent in 1948.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has also offered to resign.

The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya party said they held extensive internal discussions.

"We aim for an interim government of all parties for a limited period and then go for a parliamentary election," said Ranjith Madduma Bandara, the SJB general secretary.

The leaders of political parties represented in Parliament are to meet on Monday afternoon to discuss the convening of the House for the transition of power for a new government after Rajapaksa said he will resign.

Meanwhile, the protesters who have occupied the key administration buildings since Saturday's mass protests said they would not leave until Rajapaksa resigns. Sri Lankans were seen roaming through the ransacked presidential palace on Sunday. There were no reports of violence unlike on Saturday.

Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, crippled by an acute shortage of foreign exchange that has left it struggling to pay for essential imports of fuel, and other essentials. The country, with an acute foreign currency crisis that resulted in foreign debt default, had announced in April that it is suspending nearly $7 billion foreign debt repayment due for this year out of about $25 billion due through 2026. Sri Lanka's total foreign debt stands at $51 billion.