In Negombo, Sri Lanka, at least 25 people have been killed and around 100 others injured in one of the worst inmate clashes in recent years.
It is a case that shows what has long been known overcrowding and violence in the country’s prisons is still very bad.
The violence started Sunday afternoon when two groups of inmates in the prison got into a dispute and then erupted into a large-scale clash involving dozens of prisoners. Prison authorities tried to restore order again on Monday morning and there were more victims.
There were at least 25 people killed during the unrest and about 100 others suffered injuries of varying degrees. Injured were inmates and some prison workers who were caught in the violence while trying to control the situation.
Emergency response teams brought the wounded to Negombo Hospital, and critically wounded individuals were later transferred to major medical facilities in Colombo for advanced treatment.
Security forces were called in big numbers to take control of the facility. Within a few hours the situation was brought under control, but parts of the prison remained tense as investigations into the cause of the unrest went on.
It is unknown at present what was the reason for the clash. The violence may have been triggered by the long-term tension between inmate groups and overcrowding and poor conditions in prison, officials said. Sri Lanka's prison system has long been criticized for overcrowding, limited resources and occasional outbreaks of violence.
Sri Lankan prison violence is not a new thing. Before, inmate protests and clashes turned into violent riots, often triggered by bad conditions and prisoner disputes. So far, human rights organizations have repeatedly called for improvements in safety as well as in overcrowding and for conflict prevention mechanisms in prisons.
The Negombo incident has also received a formal investigation. This will focus on the reasons for this clash, security breaches and who will bear responsibility for the deaths and injuries, officials say.
As the investigation continues, families of inmates are seeking information about their loved ones, as the country reflects on yet another tragic episode of prison violence. The incident demonstrates the urgent need for structural reforms in Sri Lanka’s prison system to address overcrowding and reduce the risk of further deadly confrontations.
