Fonseka in Colombo. (AFP)

Colombo, Jan. 30 (Reuters): Sri Lanka’s losing presidential candidate today vowed protests against what he said was his stolen victory and accused the government of removing his personal security as part of an “indirect assassination attempt”.

General Sarath Fonseka lost Tuesday’s presidential election to incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa by more than 1.8 million votes, in a poll that observers generally praised as well-run despite a violent campaign period in which five people were killed.

Fonseka as the army commander stood victorious with Rajapaksa in May after the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in a 25-year war. But the two have become bitter political enemies since the general entered the presidential race in November.

“The (public) has the right to protest and they will do that. Protests are already coming,” Fonseka told reporters today. “I have become a political threat to them as I am the people’s President. People elected me and they robbed it from me.”

He said his security detail had been reduced to four police officers from 90 soldiers. Yesterday, police commandoes raided Fonseka’s office and arrested 15 former military officers working for him.

“They are trying an indirect assassination attempt on me, trying to make me vulnerable,” he said. The government has said Fonseka is now an ordinary retired army officer and not entitled to special treatment. Fonseka says he could be a target of Tamil Tiger remnants.

Also today, police sealed the offices of the pro-Opposition Lanka newspaper, the day after arresting the editor, Chandana Sirimalwatte, on unspecified charges.

“(The Criminal Investigation Division) on a court order sealed the office as part of an ongoing investigation,” said police spokesman I.M Karunaratne.