Sri Lanka deploys troops to quell riot at overcrowded Mahara Prison
Colombo: Sri Lankan authorities deployed hundreds of troops and elite commandos on Sunday to contain a riot at Mahara Prison, an overcrowded facility on the outskirts of the capital, Colombo. Police confirmed that one inmate was killed and six others were wounded during the unrest on Saturday.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Sanjeewa Medawatte told reporters outside the prison that the situation was under control after reinforcements from the armed forces and the Special Task Force commandos arrived. “We got reinforcements from the armed forces and the Special Task Force commandos to restore order and send the inmates back to their cells,” he said.
The violence at Mahara Prison, which holds about 4,100 inmates against a capacity of roughly 1,000, resulted in the complete destruction of the facility's kitchen, hospital, a newly built rehabilitation block, and vocational training workshops. The latest unrest follows a similar riot at another prison in the same region nearly a month ago, in which 10 guards and 21 inmates lost their lives.
This is not the first major incident at Mahara. In November 2020, a riot at the same prison led to the deaths of 11 inmates, with nearly 120 others injured. Those events prompted criticism of prison conditions and management from human rights groups.
Authorities have long grappled with severe overcrowding in Sri Lanka's prison system. More than three-quarters of the country's inmates are remand prisoners awaiting trial, and a significant number are held on drug-related charges. The government last month announced plans to convert disused state buildings into prisons to ease congestion, but observers note that systemic reforms are needed to address the root causes of unrest.
The deployment of military personnel to restore order inside a civilian correctional facility raises questions about the capacity of prison authorities to manage such crises without armed intervention. However, officials maintain that the measures were necessary to prevent further loss of life and damage to property.
As of Sunday evening, the prison was reported to be calm, with inmates returned to their cells. Further investigations into the causes of the riot are underway. The police have not yet commented on whether the death of the inmate occurred due to clashes among inmates or security forces' actions.
