In brief
In a two‑day blaze of violence at Negombo Prison in western Sri Lanka, gunfire and confrontation left at least 25 people dead, four of them staff, and northern hundred others injured. Clashes began on Sunday when inmates seized firearms and escalated into a siege on rooftops and gates. Military forces and police deployed to quell the unrest, while authorities have begun clearing the facility and investigating the root causes. The incident underscores the chronic overcrowding of Sri Lankan prisons, which hold 41,250 inmates—four times their capacity. The Justice Minister has ordered a full inquiry into the riots and steps taken to re‑house inmates.
At least 25 people, including four guards, have been killed in the violent standoff at Negombo Prison in western Sri Lanka, while more than 100 others sustained injuries.
The two‑day outbreak of violence began on Sunday when inmates reportedly seized prison guns, leading to clashes and a roof‑top siege as men and women demanded release by climbing onto buildings.
Morning of the following day saw inmates attempting to breach the prison gates, prompting security forces to arrive and exchanges of gunfire erupted inside the facility.
Officials stated the unrest was sparked by a dispute over an informant who exposed a drug‑trafficking operation within the prison, fueling the fire of hostilities.
Wounded prisoners were taken to Negombo Hospital, where the director reported bullet wounds and severe bruises, and others were transported to Colombo National Hospital.
Following the riot, police noted a section of the prison roof collapsed, injuring several women who had been part of the uprising, as reported by AFP.
Families of the inmates gathered outside the prison on Monday, complaining to the BBC Sinhala that no information regarding their relatives’ whereabouts, survival or deaths had been provided.
Army units remain on standby while police work to clear remaining areas of the prison, and the prisons commissioner has instructed the transfer of inmates to alternate facilities.
Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has mandated a full investigation with a formal report to be submitted to the ministry, aiming to uncover the causes behind the worst unrest in years.
