At least 25 killed in Sri Lanka prison riot at Negombo as violence continues

At least 25 people have now been killed in the prison violence at Negombo Prison in western Sri Lanka, including four guards, as the two-day disturbance continued into Monday. More than 100 people have been injured, according to the latest confirmed figures, with some taken to Negombo Hospital and others transferred to Colombo National Hospital. The prison, in a coastal town north of Colombo, has remained the focus of a major security operation as authorities work to regain full control.

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The unrest began with clashes between two groups of inmates and escalated after prisoners were alleged to have seized prison guns on Sunday. Two people were killed that day, with dozens injured, before fresh violence broke out on Monday when inmates tried to rush the prison gates. Security forces were deployed and multiple gunshots were heard from inside the facility, while the military was placed on standby after police requested support.

Officials said part of the prison roof collapsed during the incident, injuring some of the women involved, after female prisoners from an adjoining unit climbed onto rooftops and demanded release. Crowds of relatives gathered outside the prison as the situation unfolded, with some saying they had not been told where their family members were or whether they were alive. Prison authorities have said steps are being taken to transfer inmates to other prisons, and areas inside the facility are still being cleared.

The scale of the violence is significant because Sri Lanka's prisons are severely overcrowded, with 41,250 inmates held as of Sunday, about four times official capacity, according to figures cited by AFP. That overcrowding can make it harder for guards to contain unrest and can increase the risk that local clashes spread quickly. The deaths of prison staff also underline the seriousness of the security breach and the pressure on the prison system to prevent armed confrontations inside detention facilities.

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Authorities have said the violence may have been triggered by a clash over an inmate informing on a drug trafficking operation inside the prison. That allegation points to the continuing influence of organised criminal networks in detention centres, and to the difficulty of separating rival groups once violence begins. Justice and Prisons Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has instructed officials to investigate and submit a report, while prison officials say they are trying to separate inmates and reduce the risk of further clashes.

The incident is being described as the worst prison violence in Sri Lanka in years, with a previous deadly riot in December 2020 leaving 11 people dead and 117 injured at another facility. The current case has also raised questions about how prisoners were able to obtain weapons and how the situation escalated so quickly. What remains unclear is the full extent of the damage inside the prison, how many of the injured are in critical condition, and whether all areas have now been secured.

At least 23 people have been killed and more than 100 injured after violent clashes inside Negombo Prison in Sri Lanka, in what authorities say involved rival drug gangs. The fighting began on Sunday evening and continued into Monday, prompting a major security response around the facility north of the capital, Colombo. Officials said the dead included six prison guards, and injured people were taken to Negombo Hospital with cuts and gunshot wounds.

Police said the unrest involved inmates from two drug gangs, while prison officials said some prisoners tried to break out on Monday morning. A prison spokesman said inmates made a run for the main gate but were held back by armed guards during breakfast. Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said he was deeply shocked by the deaths and said authorities were working to separate the rival groups inside the prison.

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He added that, at this stage, the focus was on the loss of life rather than the background of those involved. Security forces deployed police and commandos to guard the perimeter of the prison, while the air force used drones and a helicopter to monitor the area. Large crowds of relatives gathered outside the prison as the situation developed, adding to the pressure on the authorities.

Police also said female inmates in an adjoining section climbed onto a roof and demanded release after reports of the violence spread, and some were injured when part of the roof collapsed. The incident is being described as Sri Lanka's deadliest prison riot in years, and it highlights the strain that organised crime and prison violence can place on the country's internal security system. The involvement of rival drug gangs points to the continuing influence of criminal networks inside detention facilities.

The scale of the response, including air surveillance and the transfer of some prisoners to other prisons, suggests officials are treating the unrest as a serious containment challenge. Negombo Prison was housing several thousand inmates at the time of the clashes, according to officials. That scale matters because disturbances in a crowded prison can spread quickly and make it harder for guards to regain control.

The deaths of prison staff also raise questions about security arrangements inside the facility and how armed confrontations were allowed to escalate so far. The transfer of prisoners to other sites suggests authorities are already trying to reduce the risk of further violence. What remains unclear is how the fighting began, how many of the injured are in critical condition, and whether any prisoners remain at risk of further clashes.

Officials have not yet given a full account of the attempted breakout or the extent of damage inside the prison. The next developments to watch are whether more prisoners are moved, whether the rival gangs are separated successfully, and whether investigators identify any failures in prison security.

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