A violent confrontation between rival drug gangs at a prison in Sri Lanka has resulted in at least 19 deaths, including four guards, and left more than 100 others injured. Officials described the incident as the most severe prison riot the country has experienced in more than five years. The unrest erupted on Sunday evening at the Negombo prison, a facility located north of Colombo that currently houses nearly 10,000 inmates.
Hospital director Pushpa Gamlath confirmed that 19 bodies were transported to the state-run health facility in Negombo, where more than 100 inmates and prison staff were also admitted for treatment. Gamlath told the AFP news agency by telephone that there are some victims with gunshot injuries. According to a police official, the four guards were killed while attempting to intervene and restore order, but the situation rapidly spiraled out of control by Monday morning.
While police commandos were dispatched to the site, authorities reported that they were not deployed inside the prison walls. Local residents living near the facility reported hearing gunfire, and officials utilized drones to monitor the volatile situation. Large crowds of concerned relatives gathered outside the prison perimeter throughout the day on Monday seeking information.
This incident follows a similar riot in December 2020 at a different Sri Lankan prison, which resulted in 11 inmate deaths and 117 injuries during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. That earlier event prompted the government to release hundreds of prisoners to address severe overcrowding. Official data as of Sunday indicates that Sri Lankan prisons are currently holding 41,250 inmates, a figure approximately four times the total capacity of the country’s correctional system.
