(Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan police tossed in the slammer eighteen opposition members including some local councilors on Tuesday over the violence which erupted during elections for the opposition leader's post the previous day.A police front man told Xinhua that among the suspects tossed in the slammer were two leading provincial councilors of the opposition United National Party who had backed the losing candidate at Monday's polls.
Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe was re- elected as the opposition leader and leader of the United National Party defeating his rival Karu Jayasuriya.
Jayasuriya, a deputy leader of the United National Party, was favored to win the election and had the backing of members within the party.
Violence broke out when the election results were announced on Monday evening resulting in the fence around the headquarters of United National Party being razed to the ground and several vehicles and the building being pelted with stones.
General Secretary of the United National Party Tissa Attanayake said that a complaint was lodged with the police following the violence and some party members were also identified as suspects.
The police said they have tossed in the slammer United National Party councilors Maithri Gunaratne and Siral Lakthilaka as well as sixteen others and will be producing them in court.
Jayasuriya meanwhile accepted the election results and appealed to his supporters to remain calm and not resort to violence.