FACT-CHECK: Did protesters take over anchoring duties at Sri Lankan Govt's Rupavahini?

Sri Lanka's state-owned television channel Rupavahini suspended its telecast on Wednesday as protesters stormed the building amidst the deepening political turmoil and economic crisis in the crisis-hit country. 

The Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) said that its engineers have suspended their live and recorded telecasts as protesters surround the corporation's premises.

SLRC official said that a group of protestors who had entered the premises had demanded that they run only news related to anti-government protests and entertainment programmes, Newswire Lanka reported.

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What is being said:

Following this, a clip of a protester speaking live on Rupavahini went viral on Twitter, with several users claiming that the man speaking had taken over anchoring duties. Some even stated that it was a pre-recorded message that the channel had telecasted.

What is the fact:

Contrary to the claims, neither did the protesters take over the anchoring duties nor did Rupavahini broadcast a message from those who stormed the premises.

The two people speaking in the clip were invited for a scheduled programme of the 'Aragalaya' and were provided some 15 minutes to convey their side of the story to the viewers, after which the channel suspended transmission. Later, the channel resumed its transmission. 

Also, a second Sri Lankan state television channel went off air, less than an hour after Rupavahini suspended its operations.

Meanwhile, the anti-government protesters, demanding President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, have ripped open the gates to the PM's office. 

The Police fired tear gas on protesters who broke through a barricade and stormed the prime minister's office. 

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has already said he was willing to resign and make way for an all-party government to take over. He has ordered the security forces to arrest people acting in a riotous manner.

Also read: 'We will occupy Parliament next if...' At Ground Zero with Sri Lankan protesters

The protesters, who stormed the three main buildings in the capital, the President's House, the presidential secretariat and the prime minister's official residence, Temple Trees, on Saturday, demanding President Rajapaksa's resignation and Prime Minister's resignation Wickremesinghe, are still occupying them.

Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials.

(With inputs from PTI)