A riot at Negombo Prison (Sri Lanka), sparked by a clash between rival gangs, has been ongoing for more than two days, with the death toll in the prison now standing at over 25, six of whom were prison officers. The clashes began yesterday, Sunday, and have escalated in violence today, Monday, as riot police attempt to quell the uprising. The prison, which currently houses 2,400 inmates - including both long-term and short-term prisoners - is being evacuated at the time of writing.
Relatives of inmates gathered outside the prison perimeter but were dispersed by the police. A spokesperson for the Department of Prisons told journalists (as reported by Reuters) that the violence was linked to drug trafficking and that the investigation is ongoing.
The Minister for Justice and National Integration, Harshana Nanayakkara, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. "I know that some weapons fell into the hands of the prisoners, but at the moment I do not know the exact number," he said.