Sri Lanka Prison Clashes Leave 23 Dead, Over 100 Injured
Quick Look
- At least 23 people, including four guards, were killed and over 100 injured in clashes between drug gangs at Negombo prison in Sri Lanka.
- The overnight violence, the worst prison riot in over five years, saw inmates suffer gunshot wounds and cuts.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Clashes erupted overnight between inmates from two drug gangs at Negombo prison in Sri Lanka, resulting in a deadly riot.
Clashes in a Sri Lankan jail have killed at least 23 people, including four guards, and wounded more than 100 in the worst prison riot in more than five years, officials said on Monday.
The wounded were rushed to the Negombo hospital, north of the capital Colombo, following overnight clashes between inmates from two drug gangs, police said.
Hospital director Pushpa Gamlath said 23 bodies were brought to her state-run health facility, and more than 100 wounded inmates and guards were also admitted.
“There are some victims with gunshot injuries, some with cuts and severe bruises,” Gamlath said.
Fighting began on Sunday evening at Negombo prison, which houses nearly 10,000 inmates, officials said.
As the reports of the fighting spread across the prison, women inmates at an adjoining section climbed on top of a roof and demanded their release on Sunday night.
Open Questions
- What triggered the initial clash between the drug gangs?
- How did the violence spread so rapidly?
- What are the specific demands of the women inmates?
