Mauritius curfew is lifted after worst riots in decades left police stations wrecked and roads ablaze

An overnight curfew covering Port Louis and several towns has been lifted after Mauritius was shaken by its worst civil unrest since 1999, triggered when a police officer shot a woman at a roadblock on Friday. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam cautioned rioters that they would face "very heavy consequences" for what he called anti-patriotic acts, as schools closed, public transport was suspended and foreign embassies urged their nationals to exercise caution.

The shooting occurred against a background of protests over water shortages and the cost of living that had been building for a week before violence broke out.

Rioters burned tyres, blocked roads, vandalised police stations and launched what witnesses described as fireworks at officers, forcing the deployment of the paramilitary Special Mobile Force.

The arresting officer has been remanded in custody; three colleagues were suspended for failing to assist the wounded woman, and prosecutors are also investigating Special Mobile Force officers present at the scene.