Sri Lanka Prison Riots: 26 Dead, Over 100 Injured in Two-Day Violence
Colombo, Sri Lanka — Violent clashes at Negombo Prison in western Sri Lanka have left 26 people dead, including seven prison guards, and more than 100 injured, officials confirmed Tuesday. The two-day unrest, which began on Sunday, involved confrontations between rival groups of inmates and later escalated into attempts to break out of the facility.
The prison, located in the coastal town of Negombo, about 40 kilometres north of Colombo, witnessed initial clashes between two groups of prisoners. According to prison authorities, inmates allegedly seized firearms from guards on Sunday, resulting in two deaths and dozens of injuries that day. The situation deteriorated further when groups of male prisoners and women from an adjoining unit climbed onto the rooftops, demanding release.
On Monday, fresh violence erupted as inmates attempted to rush the prison gates. Security forces were deployed, and multiple gunshots were heard from inside the compound. The trigger for the unrest is reported to be a conflict over an inmate informing on a drug trafficking operation inside the prison.
A total of 23 prison officers and 54 inmates remain hospitalised, officials said. Some of the wounded were taken to Negombo Hospital, where the hospital director told the AFP news agency that patients had sustained bullet wounds, cuts, and severe bruises. Others were transferred to Colombo National Hospital for advanced treatment.
Police reported that part of the prison's roof collapsed during the incident, injuring some of the women involved. Outside the prison, crowds of relatives gathered, demanding information. Some told BBC Sinhala that they had not been informed about the whereabouts or condition of their loved ones.
The Sri Lankan government has ordered an investigation into the incident. The prison, which houses both male and female inmates, has been the site of previous unrest, but this is the deadliest outbreak of violence in recent memory.
