Sri Lanka: Clashes Inside Negombo Prison Leaves 25 Dead Including 5 Cops; Over 100 Injured
International
oi-Prakash KL
At least 25 people are now confirmed dead after two days of violence at Sri Lanka's Negombo Prison, a situation that spiraled from an internal feud into a full-blown crisis drawing in the army and special forces.
The trouble first kicked off on Sunday, reportedly triggrtrf by a confrontation between inmates on opposite sides of the drug trade inside the walls. What started as a clash between two groups left a couple of inmates dead and dozens wounded.
At least 25 people, including inmates and officers, died during two days of violence at Sri Lanka's Negombo Prison, reportedly stemming from a drug trade feud. The crisis required army intervention, injured approximately 100 others, and prompted official investigations.
Officials thought they had a lid on it, but things took a fatal turn on Monday. Fresh rioting broke out, and this time it turned into an all-out assault on prison staff. The toll is staggering: five prison officers are among the dead, alongside 20 inmates, Ada Derana reported.
Around 100 more people have been hurt in the chaos.
The situation got so dire that the government had to call in soldiers. Police and the Special Task Force opened fire to try and regain some semblance of control . The injured have been rushed to local hospitals, and the military has even deployed drones to keep an eye on the mayhem from above, according to a report in News Wire.
Preliminary reports point to a bloody turf war over prison drug operations. The prison, which is holding over 2,400 inmates, is now under heavy guard, and three inmates have already been moved out to try and de-escalate.
The Prisons Department and police have both launched investigations, and the Justice Minister has demanded a detailed report on how things got this out of hand
