As Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, speaker of the Sri Lankan parliament, awaits Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation as president, he has appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe, the current prime minister, as interim president.
Abeywardena's decision has not gone down with protesters who defied tear gas and water cannons to storm the prime minister's office.
Scenes from another turbulent day in Colombo:
IMAGE: Demonstrators celebrate after they entered Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe's office in Colombo during a protest demanding his resignation. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
IMAGE: Demonstrators seen in tear gas fumes outside Wickremesinghe's office. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: People rest inside the president's house. Gotabaya Rajapaksa had fled Colombo for the Maldives on Tuesday night. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: Demonstrators carry an injured person during a clash outside Wickremesinghe's office. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
IMAGE: Another protestor wounded in clashes with the police. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
IMAGE: Demonstrators celebrate in Wickremesinghe's office. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
IMAGE: Demonstrators wait to enter Wickremesinghe's office. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
IMAGE: A protestor throws back a tear gas canister fired by army personnel during the protest seeking Wickremesinghe's ouster. Photograph: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images
IMAGE: Military personnel in gas masks stand guard during the protest. Photograph: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images
IMAGE: A protestor wearing a gas mask runs to hurl a tear gas canister fired by army personnel. Photograph: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images
IMAGE: A protestor wearing swimming goggles shouts slogans during the protest. Photograph: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images
IMAGE: The protests seem unlikely to end until the people's anger and grievances with the leaders who have brought Sri Lanka to economic ruin are redressed. Photograph: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
