Death Toll in Sri Lanka’s Prison Clash Rises to 26, With 77 More Injured in Hospital

The death toll in Sri Lanka’s prison clash has risen to 26, with seven prison officials and 19 inmates losing their lives. The clash occurred at the Negombo prison, approximately 35 kilometers north of the capital, Colombo, and is believed to be linked to narcotic drugs and gang rivalries.

According to Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, the clash erupted between two rival gangs connected to the illegal drug trade. The initial assault was launched on the inmates who acted as informants to the authorities, and thereafter, prison guards came under attack. The minister stated that the majority of the prison officials died due to beatings by inmates, who used bricks and clubs in the attack.

Nanayakkara added that some firearms fell into the hands of the inmates, who used them to shoot at the guards. He also mentioned that a small group of organized inmates destroyed the CCTV cameras and a body scanner, which is believed to be an effort to disrupt the mechanism that blocks narcotics and other contraband from coming inside the prison.

The minister stated that some 734 inmates who were involved in the violence were transferred to other prisons. He also announced that a committee led by a retired judge is being set up to investigate the incident, in addition to the police probe and an internal investigation by the prison department.

Nanayakkara said that the investigations will look into what led to the clashes, whether there were any security lapses or the congestion in the prisons caused this, and their responsibility is to prevent such incidents from happening again.

The Negombo prison had a capacity of 650 but was overcrowded with 2,600 prisoners at the time of the clashes. Senaka Perera, President of the Committee for Rights of Prisoners, stated that overcrowded prison facilities and a lack of inmate welfare have kept prisoners in constant agitation, and any issue can trigger a massive reaction.

Perera added that the government is trying to portray the clash as being linked to narcotic drugs and gang rivalries, but inmates have been complaining of increasing numbers of prisoners with dengue fever with minimal care being given to them. He also stated that the government’s lack of transparency and information to the relatives have also caused disturbances.