Sri Lanka deploys troops after prison riot leaves one inmate dead

Hundreds of Sri Lankan troops and elite commandos were deployed on Sunday to contain riots at Mahara Prison, an overcrowded facility just outside the capital Colombo. The unrest resulted in the death of one inmate and injuries to six others, according to police.

Deputy police inspector-general Sanjeewa Medawatte stated that order was restored after inmates destroyed several buildings on Saturday, including the prison's kitchen, hospital, a newly built rehabilitation center, and vocational training facilities. "We got reinforcements from the armed forces and the Special Task Force commandos to restore order and send the inmates back to their cells," Medawatte told reporters.

The riot occurred amid a backdrop of severe overcrowding in Sri Lanka's prisons. Mahara Prison houses 4,100 inmates, approximately four times its intended capacity. This issue is prevalent across the country's jail system, with over three-quarters of inmates being remand prisoners awaiting trial, many held for drug-related offenses.

This incident follows other recent prison riots in the region. In November 2020, a riot at the same facility led to 11 inmates being shot and killed and nearly 120 others wounded. Earlier in July, another riot in the same region resulted in the deaths of 10 guards and 21 inmates. In response to the ongoing crisis, authorities announced plans in July to convert disused state buildings into prisons.

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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.