Mauritian authorities lifted a curfew early Wednesday morning that had been imposed the previous evening in several parts of the island following violence linked to a shooting involving a police officer.
Security forces remain deployed to prevent further incidents and restore traffic in affected areas.
The curfew, introduced after unrest linked to the shooting incident, came into effect at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, and ended at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, October 14.
The measure was intended to contain disturbances in several localities amid public anger over water shortages and reactions to a case involving a person wounded by police gunfire.
In a statement issued after the incidents, the Mauritius Police Force said the situation was “under control”, while stressing that officers remained fully mobilised on the ground to ensure public safety and maintain law and order.
“Arrests have already been made, and further arrests are expected as part of the ongoing investigations,” the police said, adding that those involved in the violence would be brought to justice.
Regarding road traffic, the authorities announced that all roads across the island were passable, except for Bambous Road near the District Court, where obstructions remained.
Police officers were deployed to clear the road and restore traffic as quickly as possible.
Various police units also remain deployed across the country to secure major roads.
Members of the public, particularly public transport users, were informed that travel could resume as normal for work and other activities.
However, the authorities urged road users to exercise caution and follow instructions from officers on the ground.
The unrest follows an incident on Friday, October 9, in Camp-Levieux, in the Rose Hill area, where 27-year-old supermarket employee Élodie Thomas was shot while travelling home in a van.
She was admitted to Victoria Hospital, where she underwent surgery to remove the bullet.
A police sergeant was arrested in connection with the case.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions recommended provisional charges against him, while investigations continue into the exact circumstances of the shooting and the possible responsibility of other officers present at the scene.
Beyond the shooting incident, tensions have mounted amid public frustration over recurring water supply problems in several localities. Residents had staged protests in Camp-Levieux, burning tyres and blocking roads to denounce water cuts.
The demonstrations later escalated into vandalism, fires and property damage, prompting a stronger security deployment.
The lifting of the curfew marks a step towards a return to normality, but investigations are ongoing.
The authorities now face calls to establish the facts surrounding the incidents, prevent further violence and address public concerns over access to water and the circumstances in which the woman was shot.
TE/Sf/lb/as/APA