Key facts
- Twenty-six people died in a riot at Sri Lanka's Negombo prison.
A riot at Sri Lanka's Negombo prison has resulted in 26 deaths, including 19 inmates and seven prison officials. The violence, which involved clashes between two drug gangs, also left over 100 people wounded.
The riot highlights the severe overcrowding and potential for violence within Sri Lanka's prison system, raising concerns about prison management and security.
A violent clash between inmate groups at Sri Lanka's Negombo prison has resulted in the deaths of 26 people, including seven prison officials and 19 prisoners. The riot, which began Sunday and escalated Monday, is the deadliest prison incident in the country in years.
Victims with cuts and gunshot injuries were rushed to Negombo hospital. Hospital director Pushpa Gamlath stated there were 23 bodies at the facility and over 100 wounded prisoners and guards. She added that 18 of the more seriously wounded were transferred to Colombo National hospital.
Justice minister Harshana Nanayakkara later confirmed three more deaths, bringing the total to 26. He expressed shock and stated authorities were working to separate rival gangs. Nanayakkara indicated that initial investigations suggest the fight erupted after prisoners leaked information about drug smuggling operations to prison officials.
The prison, which houses several thousand detainees, is severely overcrowded, holding approximately 2,400 inmates despite a capacity for only 650. As reports of the fighting spread, female inmates in an adjoining section climbed onto a roof, causing a partial collapse that injured some.
The government announced a three-member team, headed by a retired supreme court justice, to investigate the riot. Prison spokesperson Chaminda Gajanayake confirmed no foreign prisoners were affected.
Pick the topics you care about. Get only what matters, on your cadence.