On Monday, official reports and local television broadcaster Hiru TV confirmed a tragic outbreak of violence at a suburban Sri Lankan prison, which has left at least 25 people dead and more than 100 others injured. The violent unrest erupted at the correctional facility in Negombo, a coastal town located roughly 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of the nation’s capital Colombo, and carried on into a second day on Monday after starting the previous day, according to local police.
Police spokesperson Chandana Herath acknowledged the occurrence of fatalities in the clash, but declined to immediately verify the casualty count released by Hiru TV. The local broadcaster’s reporting indicates that victims of the violence include both incarcerated inmates and serving prison staff, though no further breakdown of the death toll has been released at this early stage.
As of Monday, authorities have not released a confirmed cause for the sudden outbreak of internecine violence at the prison. A senior official at the region’s leading public hospital, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to press without official authorization, confirmed that more than 100 injured people have been admitted for treatment. The official did not provide additional details on the nature or severity of the injuries sustained in the clash.
This deadly incident draws renewed attention to a longstanding crisis in Sri Lanka’s correctional system: severe overcrowding that has created persistent unsafe conditions nationwide. Official data shows the country’s prison system was designed to hold a maximum of 10,000 inmates, but currently houses more than 39,000 incarcerated people, a more than 290% overcapacity rate that has long been flagged by human rights groups as a major public safety and human rights concern.