DHAKA: Sri Lankan Muslims called off a planned protest on Monday to denounce a series of attacks by Buddhist extremists after police warned their action could further inflame religious tensions.

The Sri Lanka Thawheed Jamaath (SLTJ) said they were calling off their demonstration in the capital as well as a work stoppage after talks with a senior police officer in charge of security in the capital.

‘As to a request of Senior Deputy Inspector General Anura Senanayake the SLTJ postpones the protest,’ the group said on Twitter, reports The Straits Times.

Muslims were due to stage a ‘hartal’, or work stoppage, similar to their action on Thursday when much of Colombo’s wholesale markets shut down to protest a wave of attacks which have left at least four people dead.

BDST: 1242 HRS, JUNE 23, 2014