Sri Lankan police detained two governing party MPs on Wednesday for allegedly inciting mob violence that shook the country for days and killed nine people last week, authorities said.

Criminal investigators questioned the members of parliament, both from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s party, on Tuesday evening and held them overnight, a police officer said on condition of anonymity.

“There is direct evidence against the two MPs and that is why they were arrested,” the official stated.

Sanath Nishantha and Milan Jayathilake were among 22 politicians whose passports were seized last week following claims that they provoked violence, including former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his son Namal.

Thousands of governing party supporters bussed into the city on May 9 assaulted a peaceful anti-government demonstration demanding President Rajapaksa quit over the country’s crippling economic situation.

The president’s elder brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, resigned immediately after the mob attack provoked retaliatory violence and arson, with more than 70 governing party leaders’ homes being damaged.

Health officials said more than 225 individuals were hospitalised as a result of the violence.

According to police, roughly 500 individuals have been detained in connection with the violence and revenge.

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