August 02, Colombo (LNW): Police have lifted the curfew that was enforced in three Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions within the Ragama Police area following the unrest at Mahara Prison, signalling a return to normalcy for residents in the affected localities.
The restrictions had been limited to the GN Divisions of 246 Kendaliyadda Road West, 246C Kendaliyadda Road North and 181G Dambuwa, all situated in the vicinity of the prison. Sri Lanka Police confirmed that the curfew has now been withdrawn after the security situation improved.
As part of efforts to restore stability inside the prison, the Department of Prisons has transferred 20 inmates from Mahara Prison to Boossa Prison. Officials also revealed that additional groups of inmates will be relocated to the prisons in Badulla, Vavuniya and Welikada to ease pressure on the facility and support security operations.
Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Sajeewa Medawatta, who visited Mahara Prison on Saturday, said security has been strengthened at correctional facilities across the country in response to the incident. He noted that enhanced protection has been put in place at several key prisons, including Welikada, Magazine, Kalutara and Negombo, as a precautionary measure.
According to the Senior DIG, the disturbance at Mahara Prison continued into the early hours of Sunday, during which a number of inmates caused significant damage to prison property. He added that the situation has since been brought under control through a coordinated operation involving the Department of Prisons, Sri Lanka Police, the Special Task Force (STF), the Sri Lanka Air Force and the Sri Lanka Navy.
Authorities are continuing to secure the prison complex and expect normal operations to resume once all safety measures have been fully implemented.
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