COLOMBO: At least 25 people were killed and about 100 others were injured after clashes between rival groups of inmates at a prison in Sri Lanka, according to police and hospital officials.
The violence erupted overnight at the Negombo Prison, north of Colombo, where inmates linked to two rival drug gangs fought inside the overcrowded facility, police said.
The injured, including inmates and prison guards, were taken to Negombo General Hospital for treatment.
Hospital Director Pushpa Gamlath said the state-run hospital had received 23 bodies and admitted more than 100 injured inmates and guards.
“Some victims suffered gunshot wounds, while others sustained cuts and severe bruises,” Gamlath told AFP.
Authorities said the fighting began Sunday evening in the prison, which houses several thousand inmates.
As unrest spread through the facility, women held in an adjoining section climbed onto a rooftop demanding their release. Part of the roof later collapsed, injuring several of them, police said.
Police commandos were deployed to the prison complex on Monday, while the Sri Lankan Air Force used drones and a helicopter to monitor the situation. Large crowds of relatives gathered outside the prison as authorities worked to restore order.
A police official said four prison guards were killed while attempting to stop the violence.
“The situation got out of hand this morning,” the official told media.
Sri Lanka has faced repeated problems with overcrowded prisons. During riots at another prison in December 2020, 11 inmates were killed and 117 people were injured, prompting the government to release hundreds of prisoners to ease overcrowding.
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Official figures show Sri Lanka’s prisons housed 41,250 inmates as of Sunday, nearly four times their intended capacity.
