Sri Lanka Prison Riots Leave Over 25 Dead, Dozens Injured

At least 25 people have been killed, four of them guards, and more than 100 injured in prison riots in western Sri Lanka.

The two days of violence at Negombo Prison, a coastal town north of Colombo, began with clashes between two groups of inmates, who allegedly seized prison guns on Sunday. Two people were killed that day, with dozens wounded.

In a surreal turn, male prisoners and women from an adjoining unit perched on prison rooftops, demanding to be released. Fresh violence erupted on Monday when inmates attempted to storm the prison gates; security forces were deployed, and multiple gunshots were heard from inside.

The outbreaks were reportedly triggered by a clash over an inmate who warned authorities about a drug‑trafficking operation inside the facility. Some of the wounded were taken to Negombo Hospital, where a director reported bullet wounds, cuts and severe bruises. Others were transported to Colombo National Hospital.

Police said part of the prison’s roof collapsed during the incidents, injuring some of the women involved. Crowds of inmates’ relatives gathered outside, demanding updates on the status of their loved ones.

Military forces were placed on standby as police requested assistance to clear remaining areas within the prison. Prison commissioner media spokesman AC Gajanayake said steps have been taken to transfer inmates to other facilities, while Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara ordered an investigation.

These riots represent the worst in recent years; in December 2020 another facility saw 11 killed and 117 injured. Sri Lankan prisons held 41,250 inmates at the time, four times their capacity, according to AFP.