8 inmates killed, 37 others injured in Sri Lankan prison riot; govt orders probe

Colombo, November 30

The Sri Lankan authorities on Monday ordered an intensive probe right into a riot by inmates over rising coronavirus infections at a jail exterior the capital Colombo that left at the very least eight prisoners useless and 37 injured.

Defence Secretary Major General (Retd) GDH Kamal Gunaratne has instructed Inspector General of Police (IGP) CD Wickramaratne to conduct a particular investigation into the tense scenario reported on the Mahara Prison on Sunday.

Issuing an announcement, the Defence Ministry mentioned the directive was issued on Monday after it was famous that a number of inmates had reportedly tried to flee the jail premises demonstrating unruly behaviour, the Colombo Gazette reported.

The newest conflict at Mahara Prison began when some inmates protested in opposition to prisoners contaminated by the COVID-19 virus being transferred from different amenities to Mahara jail.

Police spokesman Ajith Rohana mentioned inmates created “unrest” on the Mahara jail, positioned about 15 kilometres north of Colombo however jail officers took steps to regulate the scenario.

The incident comes as pandemic-related unrest has been rising in Sri Lanka’s overcrowded prisons. Inmates have staged protests in latest weeks in a number of prisons because the variety of confirmed COVID-19 positive circumstances spiked within the nation’s overcrowded jails.

“The incident was started by a set of remand prisoners when they tried to force open a door and escape following which the authorities had to use force,” Rohana mentioned.

He mentioned throughout the whole incident at the very least 37 extra, together with two jailors, had been injured and all of them had been transferred to the close by Ragama hospital.

The residents close to the jail mentioned smoke was popping out of the premises because of fireplace.

Prisons authorities mentioned the rioters had set fireplace to the kitchen and a report room of the jail.

An try by the rioting inmates to take the jailors hostage was thwarted, officers mentioned.

Rohana mentioned the detainees wished them to be transferred elsewhere because the Mahara Prison has detected over 175 COVID-19 infections among the many inmates.

Following the Defence Secretary’s directive, IGP Wickramaratne instructed the Criminal Investigations Department to conduct a full and quick investigation into the unrest on the Mahara Prison, the report mentioned.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Ali Sabry too appointed a five-committee to probe the riot on the Mahara Prison. The committee might be chaired by former High Court Judge Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena.

“The committee, which has been tasked with investigating and proposing long-term recommendations on the unrest, has been instructed to submit an interim report to the Justice Minister within a week and a complete report by the end of one month,” it mentioned.

Earlier on Monday, State Minister of Prison Reforms and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Sudarshini Fernandopulle informed the Parliament {that a} committee headed by the Ministry Secretary has been appointed to analyze the incident.

She additional mentioned the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), too, had been requested to analyze the unrest, the report mentioned.

From the mid of this month, prisons throughout the island went right into a lockdown as infections had been reported each amongst inmates and guards.

Over 1,000 circumstances have been reported amongst these related to prisons.

In an analogous unrest final week, an inmate was killed. Another prisoner died in March.

Sri Lankan prisons are extremely congested with greater than 26,000 inmates crowded in amenities with the capability of 10,000.

Sri Lanka, which has been taking powerful measures to include the unfold of the coronavirus, has reported 22,988 circumstances and 109 deaths as a result of contagious virus, based on Johns Hopkins University. PTI