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🇳🇵 Nepal /Crime & Justice

Clashes escalate at Sri Lanka prison to leave 25 dead, many more injured

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Clashes between rival inmate groups at a Sri Lankan prison have resulted in 25 deaths and approximately 100 injuries, marking the deadliest prison violence in years.
  • The violence began Sunday between convicted prisoners and those on temporary detention, escalating Monday with 23 additional deaths, including six prison officials.
  • Authorities are investigating the cause, with initial reports linking the clashes to drug trafficking, and have deployed riot control squads and requested military support.

Two days of intense clashes between rival inmate groups at a prison in Negombo, Sri Lanka, have left 25 people dead and around 100 injured, according to authorities. The violence, which began Sunday and escalated Monday morning, represents the deadliest prison incident in the country in recent years.

The conflict erupted between long-term convicted prisoners and those held under temporary detention at the facility, which houses approximately 2,400 inmates. While two prisoners died and 38 were injured on Sunday, a more lethal round of fighting on Monday morning claimed 23 more lives, including six prison officials. Police riot control squads and special forces were dispatched to the scene to regain control.

The fight broke out when the prisoners were being served breakfast.

— Chamika Gajanayakemedia spokesman for the Department of Prisons, explaining the initial trigger for the violence.

Chamika Gajanayake, media spokesman for the Department of Prisons, stated that the fight began during breakfast service. Prison officials who intervened were then pursued by inmates attempting to breach the prison gates. Gajanayake indicated that drug trafficking is linked to the violence, though he declined to provide further details pending an investigation.

About 100 injured people were brought to this hospital. Some had gunshot injuries, cuts and bruises.

— Dr Pushpa GamlathDirector of the Negombo Hospital, detailing the extent of injuries treated.

Injured inmates, some in critical condition, were transported to Negombo Hospital, where Dr. Pushpa Gamlath reported treating about 100 individuals with various injuries, including gunshot wounds. Eighteen of the injured were transferred to another hospital. The military was placed on standby, and the Sri Lanka Air Force provided aerial surveillance using helicopters and drones.

Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara visited the prison and expressed condolences. He acknowledged that some weapons had fallen into prisoners' hands but could not specify the number. The prison is now under control, and investigations are underway. This incident follows previous deadly prison riots in Sri Lanka, including one in November 2020 that killed 11 inmates and another in 2012 that resulted in 27 deaths.

I know that some weapons fell into the hands of the prisoners but at the moment I don’t know the exact number. The entire prison is now under our control and we are conducting investigations. I wish to express my condolences to the families.

— Harshana NanayakkaraMinister of Justice and National Integration, commenting after visiting the prison.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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