A Sri Lankan court has banned former prime-minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, his politician son Namal and 15 of his allies, from leaving the country over violence against anti-government demonstrators.

Reports say the magistrate in the capital Colombo ordered police to investigate Monday’s mob attacks on peaceful protesters, which led to retaliatory violence that has claimed nine lives and caused widespread destruction.

A petition to the court has also asked for an arrest warrant against Rajapaksa and his associates.

Victims of Monday’s violence say that Rajapaksa and key aides had conveyed around 3,000 of their supporters into the capital and instigated them to attack peaceful protesters.