Port Louis - Three people have died in rioting which spread across the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius following the suspicious death of popular reggae singer Kaya, police said yesterday. Kaya died on Sunday while in police custody, sparking violence in the capital, Port Louis. Schools and colleges were closed for a second day as the island prepared for Kaya's funeral yesterday.
The funeral of Berger Agathe, who died on Monday after being hit by a rubber bullet fired by anti-riot police, passed off peacefully earlier yesterday. Agathe, another well-known reggae singer, was a friend of Kaya.
Kaya was arrested last Thursday after smoking marijuana at a rally organised by the political Republican Movement to press for legalisation of the drug, known locally as "gandia".