The campaign for the upcoming presidential polls in Sri Lanka ended on Monday with sporadic violence having marred the final day.

Three opposition activists were wounded when unidentified gunmen shot and wounded them while they were engaged in putting up a dais for the opposition leader, Maithripala Sirisena, on the final day of campaigning in the southern town of Kahawatte, around 130 km from the capital Colombo. Incidents of violence were also reported from other parts of the island, prompting Sirisena to appeal for calm as the campaign was due to end at midnight (1800 GMT).

In one of his final poll campaign rallies on Monday President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged the people to vote for him for his efforts to bring about an integrated development in all parts of the country.

In response to several allegations, Sirisena said that he has not signed any agreements with any parties to divide the country. “I will be personally responsible for the progressive measures implemented during the first hundred days as I assume duties as the president,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, on an application filed by lawyers for the common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena, the District Court issued an enjoining order barring the Independent Television Network (ITN), Rupavahini, Swarnawahini and Derana from broadcasting a program titled “Janapathi Janahamuwa” or a program of similar nature featuring Rajapaksa. The lawyers for the common candidate pointed out that Jan. 5 would be the last day for broadcasting poll campaigns.

In Colombo, a government minister warned on Monday that in the event the incumbent president wins Thursday’s election, legal action will be taken against foreign agencies and individuals who allegedly funded the common opposition election campaign and induced government members to join the opposition.

Minister Dulles Alahapperuma was speaking at the government’s final news briefing held on Monday. He said the government had identified ‘three foreign hands’ and certain foreign intelligence arms involved in helping the opposition candidate to win the elections.

“Legal action will be taken against those who are found guilty,” the minister said, recalling that the government had made a mistake during Rajapaksa’s second term by failing to take action against those who had reportedly given money and weapons to the LTTE and helped it to kill the country’s political leaders.

The minister said the conspiracies against the government had been discussed and hatched in Singapore by foreign and local agents and the government was in possession of video evidence to prove it.

“Opposition attempts to highlight a culture of violence in the run-up to the presidential election to convince voters that the government has a hand in the attacks is a myth,” he said.