The death toll from the deadly clashes at Negombo Prison has risen to 27 after another inmate who was receiving treatment for injuries died this morning.
According to police, 20 inmates have died in the clashes that took place on July 5 and 6. Two inmates died on July 5, reportedly due to assaults, while the deaths of the remaining inmates are believed to have been caused by gunfire, police said.
Seven prison officers were also killed during the unrest on July 6, following attacks by inmates.
Although the Acting Inspector General of Police had initially assigned the investigation to the Colombo Crimes Division, the probe was handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) this morning for a wider investigation.
A senior police officer said the Negombo Prison, which has a maximum capacity of only 600 inmates, was holding around 2,400 prisoners — a situation that had created severe pressure and difficult conditions for inmates.
The officer said the overcrowding and resulting stress among prisoners may have contributed to the unrest.
Of the approximately 2,400 inmates at the facility, nearly 90 percent are reported to be remand prisoners, while a significant number are individuals arrested in connection with drug-related offences, the officer said.
He warned that the increasing number of drug-related arrests and the lack of a proper rehabilitation programme for drug users could lead to similar situations in other prisons unless a long-term solution is introduced.
The investigation into the Negombo Prison clash, which claimed the lives of 27 people including seven prison officials, has now been officially handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department.
Acting IGP Sanjeewa Dharmaratne transferred the investigation to the CID with effect from this morning.
The inquiry had earlier been assigned to the Colombo Crimes Division, but authorities decided to hand it over to the CID considering the seriousness and scale of the incident.
Police confirmed that seven prison officers and 17 inmates died yesterday, while another injured inmate succumbed to injuries this morning. Two inmates had died during the initial clash on July 5.
Accordingly, the total number of deaths stands at 27 — including 20 inmates and seven prison officers, police said.
