Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka has stated that he expects police to conduct a thorough investigation into an altercation with anti-government protesters that resulted in the first death amid weeks of civil unrest over an economic crisis.

"Deeply distressed following the tragedy in Rambukkana," Rajapaksa wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. "I have every confidence that a strict, impartial investigation will be carried out."

On Tuesday, police used live bullets to disperse demonstrators in Rambukkana town, around 95 kilometers (60 miles) east of Colombo's commercial city. One person was killed, and a dozen were injured.

On Wednesday, Rambukkana remained tranquil, with minimal security on the streets following a curfew extension.

Throughout the morning, businesses were shuttered. A four-person police forensics team searched the area surrounding the railway crossing where the violence occurred.

Additionally, police roped off a section of a petrol station that saw a flare-up. The area was scattered with rocks, bullet shells, and discarded tear gas canisters.

According to police, demonstrators obstructed railway tracks and roadways and refused to disperse before the gunshot. Additionally, they said demonstrators hurled rocks at them.

Protests on a large scale

According to Public Security Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, the incident occurred as demonstrators attempted to set fire to a tanker.

"Police acted according to the law," he stated. "This shooting occurred despite officers doing everything possible to maintain control of the scene. Numerous investigations will be conducted."

The event occurred as Sri Lankan officials met with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) representatives to negotiate an emergency loan program to address a fuel and other necessities shortage.

The IMF stated that the talks are in their infancy and that any agreement would require "adequate assurances" that Sri Lanka could handle its unsustainable debt problem.

For weeks, demonstrations have wreaked havoc on the 22 million-strong South Asian island nation. On Wednesday, thousands of people across Sri Lanka came to the streets once more.

They blocked vital routes in numerous country regions with their vehicles in protest of Tuesday's shooting and soaring prices.

Protesters are enraged by what they perceive to be the government's economic mismanagement, which has resulted in fuel and other commodity shortages and protracted power outages.