Mauritius imposes curfew after violent protests

Mauritius imposed a curfew on Tuesday over roughly a third of the island after rare violent protests linked to water shortages, the rising cost of living and the police shooting of a woman.

The curfew runs from Tuesday evening until Wednesday morning and affects 10 administrative regions, mainly on the outskirts of towns.

Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam said authorities would identify and hold accountable the instigators and those acting against the country’s interests.

Witnesses said a police officer fired without warning at the woman, hitting her in the neck. The officer has been arrested and brought before the courts.

The woman remains in hospital. Local media reported that Indian surgeons sent to Mauritius removed the bullet.

The protests had begun before the shooting, with demonstrators using burning tyres to block roads. After the shooting, several looting cases were reported, including at two supermarkets, and police stations were attacked, injuring several officers.

The British embassy in Mauritius warned its nationals that there may be further protests and told them to avoid demonstrations and large public gatherings. The French embassy also asked French nationals to exercise caution.

No outbreaks of violence had been reported since the start of the curfew, an AFP correspondent observed on Tuesday evening.