Tuesday Jul 07, 2026
Tuesday Jul 07, 2026
Tuesday, 7 July 2026 04:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shanika Sriyananda
The deadly clashes that erupted inside Negombo Prison on Sunday and continued into yesterday, killing 26 people and injuring more than 100 others, have renewed calls for authorities to address longstanding structural problems, including severe overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, and acute staff shortages, that have increasingly threatened the security of Sri Lanka’s prison system.
The unrest, which initially broke out between two groups of inmates on Sunday afternoon, yesterday escalated into one of the deadliest incidents in the country’s prison history.
According to Department of Prisons sources, at least 26 people, including a prison jailor, a senior prison guard, seven prison guards, and inmates, were killed in renewed violence and gunfire inside Negombo Prison yesterday morning as prison authorities, the Police, and the military struggled to regain control of the facility.
The Police Media Division said the death toll and number of injuries increased after inmates reportedly attempted to force their way through the Prison’s main gate at around 10 a.m. yesterday.
Authorities confirmed that prison officers were among the dead, alongside inmates, while more than 100 injured people were admitted to the Negombo District General Hospital. Seriously injured prisoners were later transferred to the National Hospital in Colombo, where hospital sources said around 10 inmates underwent emergency surgery.
Prison sources said the attempted prison break triggered fresh clashes and exchanges of gunfire inside the Prison. Journalists at the scene reported hearing continuous gunfire as security forces deployed additional personnel to contain the violence.
Department of Prisons Spokesperson A.C. Gajanayake said: “On Monday morning, while breakfast was being served, inmates attacked prison officers inside the premises. As the situation escalated, groups of inmates attempted to break out through the main gate and violently assaulted prison officials.”
He said inmates had destroyed the Prison’s CCTV cameras during the unrest but were unable to obtain firearms because the Prison armoury had been secured after the initial clashes happened on Sunday.
Negombo District General Hospital Director Dr. Pushpa Gamalathge said medical teams were operating under severe pressure.
“We are treating a large number of critically injured patients. Several have already undergone surgery, while others continue to be assessed,” she said.
Police and Special Task Force (STF) personnel were deployed in large numbers to regain control of the Prison. The Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Air Force were later called in to strengthen security both inside and outside the prison.
Prison officials said Negombo Prison currently accommodates more than 2,400 inmates, including remand prisoners, placing enormous pressure on available facilities.
“They are under immense pressure due to severe shortages of space and basic facilities. Negombo Prison is operating well beyond its capacity. Managing the institution has become increasingly difficult with prison staff at only about one-quarter of the required strength,” a senior prison official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Department of Prisons has appointed a special committee to investigate the incident, while separate Police and magisterial inquiries are also underway.
Gajanayake said authorities had begun transferring inmates to the Welikada and Agunakolapelessa Prisons to ease overcrowding and restore the situation.
Male and female inmates who staged a protest on Sunday afternoon also sustained injuries after part of a roof collapsed during the unrest.
Meanwhile, prison authorities confirmed that no foreign inmates, including those from India and Australia, were killed or injured during the clashes. They were transferred to other prisons as a precautionary measure to ensure their safety.
While taking all measures to tighten and restore security in Negombo Prison, according to prison sources, over 700 inmates have been transferred to the Agunukolapelessa, Bogambara, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Kuruwita Prisons yesterday.
