Sri Lankan petroleum minister in the ousted cabinet of Ranil Wickremesinghe and former cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga was arrested on Monday for a violent incident on Sunday that killed one person, police said.

However, according to media reports, Ranatunga was released on bail by a Colombo magistrate.

The crisis in Sri Lanka took an ugly turn on Sunday when bodyguards of 54-year-old Ranatunga, a Wickremesinghe loyalist, fired live rounds at supporters of the new Premier, Mahinda Rajapaksa, leaving one dead.

Two others were hospitalised in the shooting incident and a security personnel was arrested at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) premises on Sunday in Dematagoda.

Ranatunga, captain of Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup winning side, was the petroleum minister in the ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government.

The incident took place when Ranatunga visited the CPC office with several petroleum corporation workers objecting to his presence there.

When Ranatunga entered the building, Rajapaksa’s supporters objected and shouted slogans.

Unable to move out, Ranatunga’s security personnel opened fire which injured three persons, police said. Unconfirmed reports said that two of Ranatunga’s security personnel have been arrested.

Sri Lanka is facing a political crisis after President Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe on Friday, and replaced him with former strongman Rajapaksa.

Sirisena also suspended parliament till November 16 after Wickremesinghe sought an emergency session to prove his majority. The President’s office also announced that with Wickremesinghe’s sacking, the cabinet stands dissolved.

Meanwhile, Rajapaksa on Monday assumed charge as Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister at the secretariat which was not used by Wickremesinghe, officials from his Sri Lanka People’s Party said.

The crisis has important ramifications in a battle for influence in South Asia between India and China, a country that is playing an increasing role in the region.

China, long seen as a supporter of Rajapaksa, has already congratulated him on becoming Prime Minister.

But India, the EU and the US have all urged Sirisena to abide by the Constitution.

“We call on the President, in consultation with the speaker, to immediately reconvene parliament and allow the democratically elected representatives of the Sri Lankan people to fulfil their responsibilities to affirm who will lead their government,” US state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

Sources in diplomatic missions said most foreign envoys had yet to congratulate Rajapaksa as it could be interpreted as legitimising the new government while there were still complaints his appointment was unconstitutional.

‘Bloodbath’ warning

Sri Lankan parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya warned that there could be “bloodbath” as some people were trying to resolve a power struggle between the President and his ousted Premier on the streets.

Addressing reporters in Kandy, Jayasuriya said the issue should be resolved inside parliament. “Some are trying to settle this outside on the streets. If that is allowed there can be bloodshed, two (sic) people have died already, internationally the country will suffer damage,” he said.