Sri Lanka Deploys Troops After Prison Riot Leaves One Dead, Six Injured | Src: Asharq Al-Awsat (SA)

Hundreds of troops and elite commandos were deployed in Sri Lanka on Sunday to regain control of Mahara Prison following deadly riots. The unrest, which began Saturday, saw inmates destroy multiple buildings within the overcrowded facility located near the capital, Colombo. Police reported that one inmate was killed and six others sustained injuries during the chaos. Deputy police inspector-general Sanjeewa Medawatte stated that reinforcements from the armed forces and the Special Task Force were brought in to restore order and return inmates to their cells. The prison, which currently houses 4,100 inmates, is operating at about four times its intended capacity, highlighting a systemic problem of overcrowding across Sri Lanka's correctional facilities. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that over three-quarters of inmates are on remand, awaiting trial, many for drug-related offenses. Authorities had previously announced plans to convert disused state buildings into prisons to address the crisis. The recent riot follows other significant incidents of prison violence in the region, including a November 2020 riot at the same facility where 11 inmates were killed and nearly 120 wounded, and another riot last month that resulted in the deaths of 10 guards and 21 inmates.

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We got reinforcements from the armed forces and the Special Task Force commandos to restore order and send the inmates back to their cells.