At least 19 killed in Sri Lanka prison riot, worst in five years.
Clashes between drug gangs at a Sri Lankan prison killed at least 19 people, including four guards, and wounded over 100 in the worst prison riot in more than five years. The unrest broke out Sunday evening at Negombo prison and continued Monday.
At least 19 people have been killed and more than 100 others wounded in clashes at a prison in Sri Lanka, according to a medical official.
The wounded were rushed to the hospital in Negombo, north of the capital Colombo, following overnight clashes between inmates from two drug gangs, police said.
Hospital director Pushpa Gamlath said 19 bodies were brought to the state-run health facility, while more than 100 wounded inmates and guards were also admitted for treatment.
Fighting began on Sunday evening at Negombo prison, which houses nearly 10,000 inmates, officials said. The victims include both inmates and prison officials.
Police commandos were called in, but were not deployed inside the prison. Large crowds of inmates’ relatives gathered outside the prison on Monday, according to local media and police.
Negombo hospital received the bodies of four prison guards and 15 inmates, Gamlath told AFP on Monday. She said some of the victims had gunshot injuries.
An official at the area’s main state-run hospital said more than 100 people had been admitted with injuries from the prison clashes.
Local television station Hiru reported that 25 people had been killed in the clashes and more than 100 others were injured.
Sri Lankan prisons are highly congested, with more than 39,000 inmates crowded into a system with a total capacity of just 10,000.