Negombo Prison Clashes Kill 25 and Injure 100-Plus as Escape Attempt Fuels Unrest
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Jul 6
Negombo Prison Clashes Kill 25 and Injure 100-Plus as Escape Attempt Fuels Unrest
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Jul 6
Summary
At least 25 people were killed and more than 100 injured after clashes at Negombo prison near Colombo began Sunday and continued into Monday, according to police, prison officials and a local hospital.
Prison spokesman A.C. Gajanayake said the violence started among inmates, then escalated when guards intervened and some prisoners tried to escape, prompting attacks on prison officials.
Victims included both inmates and prison staff, though authorities had not immediately confirmed the exact death toll reported by local television station Hiru.
Sri Lanka's prison system remains severely overcrowded, holding more than 39,000 inmates in facilities built for about 10,000 — a backdrop to one of the country's deadliest prison disturbances in years.