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Clashes inside a Sri Lankan prison have resulted in the deaths of 23 individuals, including four correctional officers, and more than 100 inmates injured. This marks the most violent prison disturbance in the country in over five years, officials reported Monday.
The injured were transported to Negombo Hospital, located north of Colombo, after overnight violence between prisoners affiliated with two drug trafficking gangs at the main prison in that region. Hospital director Pushpa Gamlath confirmed that the facility received 23 bodies and admitted over 100 wounded inmates and guards.
“The victims sustained gunshot wounds, lacerations, and severe bruising,” Gamlath told AFP by phone. The chaos began on Sunday night at Negombo Prison, which houses several thousand inmates. As news of the uprising spread, female inmates in an adjoining section climbed onto the roof, demanding their release. During the chaos, part of the roof collapsed, injuring some of the women.
Police special forces arrived on the scene Monday but did not enter the prison itself. Outside, large groups of family members gathered, while the air force deployed drones and a helicopter to monitor the situation. Local residents reported hearing gunfire during the incident.
A police official told AFP, “Four guards lost their lives trying to stop the riot. The situation escalated out of control this morning.”
This outbreak of violence follows a 2020 incident at another Sri Lankan prison where a riot left 11 inmates dead and 117 wounded amid the COVID-19 pandemic. That unrest prompted the government to release hundreds of prisoners to decongest overcrowded facilities.
Data shows that as of Sunday, Sri Lankan prisons held approximately 41,250 inmates—about four times their official capacity.
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