Sri Lankan police have opened fire at protestors rallying against fuel price hikes, killing one.

Police on Tuesday fired shots in an attempt to disperse demonstrators blocking roads in Rambukkana, about 90 kilometers from the largest city, Colombo.

Police say one person died, and at least 10 others were injured.

That was the first fatality in weeks of protests by people frustrated by drastic inflation and fuel shortages in a worsening economic crisis in the country.

Last week, the government announced it will suspend the repayment of part of its external debts, as a temporary measure before it obtains assistance from the International Monetary Fund.

Multiple media outlets report the possibility of Sri Lanka defaulting on its debts.

Protestors say the government is to blame for the mismanagement of the economy, and are demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. But the president has shown no intentions of doing so.