// BBC WORLD NEWS — MONDO
Mauritius reels from worst riots in decades after woman shot by police
Mauritius is a well known as a tourism and financial services hub
Police in Mauritius imposed an overnight curfew overnight to quell the worst riots to break out on the Indian Ocean island in decades.
Peaceful protests over water shortages and the high cost of living that started a week ago erupted into violence on Friday when a woman was shot and wounded by police at a roadblock.
The circumstances of the shooting are not clear, but the officer has since been arrested and remanded in custody.
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam ordered the curfew on Tuesday, warning against those "acting against the interests of the country", which is a tourism and financial services hub.
"Those who have carried out these actions will have to face the very heavy consequences warranted by their anti-patriotic acts," he said in an address to the nation.
Protesters burned tyres and blocked roads as the unrest escalated over the weekend, with police stations and other public infrastructure properties being vandalised.
The mayhem prompted the closure of schools and public transport, with foreign embassies issuing alerts warning its nationals to be cautious.
Despite the curfew, police said there had been several incidents overnight and some arrests.
But the police assured people that by Wednesday morning traffic was again moving throughout the island and said people should resume their normal activities.