At least 25 people were killed and more than 100 others injured after clash turned violent inside a prison in Sri Lanka’s Negombo. The incident is being described as one of the country’s deadliest prison riots in recent years.
According to the jail officials, four prison guards are among the dead. The injured, including inmates and prison personnel, were shifted to a state-run hospital in Negombo, located north of the capital Colombo, following the overnight violence.
According to officials, the clashes began on Sunday evening inside Negombo prison after fighting broke out between members of two rival drug gangs lodged at the facility.
Hospital director Pushpa Gamlath said the hospital received 23 bodies and admitted more than 100 injured inmates and prison guards. She said several victims had sustained gunshot wounds, while others suffered cuts and serious bruises.
Officials said four prison guards lost their lives while attempting to control the violence inside the prison. The situation escalated on Monday morning, prompting authorities to step up security around the prison complex. Residents living near the prison reported hearing gunfire during the clashes.
As news of the violence spread through the prison, women inmates housed in a separate section reportedly climbed onto the roof of their building and demanded their release.
Police said a portion of the roof later collapsed, causing injuries to some of the women prisoners.
Although police commandos were deployed outside the prison, officials said they were not sent inside the jail during the unrest.
Large crowds of relatives gathered outside Negombo prison as authorities monitored the situation.
Sri Lanka’s Air Force deployed drones and a helicopter to keep surveillance over the prison area while security forces worked to bring the situation under control.