Buddhists hurled petrol bombs and looted homes and businesses in several Muslim towns in Sri Lanka, killing three Muslims and seriously wounding more than 50 people in overnight attacks, authorities said Monday.

The coordinated attacks were allegedly led by members of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) — or Buddhist Power Force — which rails against the country's Muslim minority.

Sri Lanka is still deeply scarred by the 1983-2009 civil war between the Buddhist Sinhalese majority and Tamil rebels, but Buddhist-Muslim violence has been relatively rare.

BBS has been gaining followers and is believed to enjoy state support. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka's powerful defense secretary and the brother of the president, once made a public appearance supporting the group's cause.

Sithee Hameeda, a resident of Darga Nagar, one of the three towns attacked, said the mob broke into her home and stole jewelry and cash while her family hid in a room.

"Soon the house caught fire and we ran out because we could not stay with the smoke," she said. "We hid in the marsh and came back only after everything was over. Everything was destroyed. We were left only with the wet clothes we were wearing."

The violence in the towns of Aluthgama, Darga Nagar and Beruwala erupted after a Sunday afternoon rally by Bodu Bala Sena. Video clips show the group's General Secretary Rev. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara telling the crowd that Muslim-owned shops in Aluthgama and surrounding villages were in danger.

Speaking to reporters in Colombo, Gnanasara said the violence was "natural" because Buddhists were angry over an alleged attack on the driver of a Buddhist monk.

"When people heard it they went out of control," Gnanasara said. "This is natural because the people were under a lot of pressure."

Before the clash, Gnanasaara warned Muslims against attacking Sinhalese, the majority of whom are Buddhist.

"We still have Sinhala police in this country, still we have a Sinhala military. From today, if any Muslim... mishandles any Sinhalese, that will be the end of them," he said at a public rally that was captured on video and posted on YouTube.