Sri Lankan police Wednesday broke up clashes between political activists as violence linked to looming presidential polls escalated after gunmen shot dead an opposition party worker.
Tear-gas was fired to disperse thousands of party workers in the eastern town of Polonnaruwa, local officials said by telephone.
About 3,000 opposition supporters destroyed a ruling party office in the town after posters of their favoured presidential candidate, Sarath Fonseka, were destroyed overnight, a police official said.
"It was a mini-war between rival groups," said the official, who declined to be named. At least five people were seriously wounded in the clashes.
The violence came as the government vowed to step up security in the run up to the January 26 election at which President Mahinda Rajapakse is seeking re-election.
Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe accused Rajapakse's People's Alliance of inciting violence and using intimidation to swing voters.
"People linked to the government were behind yesterday's killing," Wickremesinghe told reporters in Colombo.
Opposition activist Kusuma Kuruppuarachchi, 60, was gunned down Tuesday as she was travelling in a bus to attend Fonseka's election rally in the southern town of Hungama.
Local politician Mangala Samaraweera said the victim had been warned several times by ruling party activists against campaigning for Fonseka in an area which is considered Rajapakse's home constituency.
A statement from Rajapakse's office condemned the shooting, in which several other people were wounded, and pledged the attackers would be brought to justice.
"The government of Sri Lanka is appalled at this tragedy, vehemently condemns it, and will not tolerate any such acts of violence in the midst of this democratic electoral process," the statement said.
The US embassy in Colombo said it was "deeply concerned" over the killing and escalating violence.
Fonseka quit the army and entered politics in November over differences with Rajapakse, who accused him of trying to seize power after crushing the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.
Sri Lankan elections have been marred in the past by violence but Tuesday's shooting was the first fatality in the current campaign.
© AFP
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