Defeated Sri Lanka head accused of having tried to stage coup

Colombo

SRI Lanka's new government on Sunday accused toppled strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa of having tried to stage a coup to cling to power after losing last week's presidential election.

Mr Rajapaksa, South Asia's longest-serving leader before losing last Thursday's polls, had been widely praised for conceding defeat to Maithripala Sirisena before the final results had been announced.