Post by : Badri Ariffin

Three prisoners were killed and at least 23 others injured after riots broke out at two prisons in Sri Lanka, according to Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala. The unrest comes amid continuing problems linked to overcrowding across the country's prison system.

The first incident began late on Thursday at Colombo's New Magazine Prison, where one prisoner was killed and 10 others were injured.

A second riot at Kuruwita Prison, located about 80 km (50 miles) from Colombo, resulted in the deaths of two prisoners and injuries to another 14, Wijepala told parliament on Friday.

Police and special forces were deployed and brought both prison disturbances under control, the minister said.

Unrest Also Reported at Negombo Prison

A separate disturbance was reported at an open prison in Negombo, around 40 km (25 miles) from Colombo. Police sources said the unrest was contained after officers used tear gas against protesting inmates.

Heavy police deployments and riot-control units were sent to all three facilities. According to Wijepala, prisoners who had climbed onto rooftops or moved into open areas were brought back to their prison wards.

The minister said there were no continuing security concerns after the authorities regained control of the situation.

Government Investigating Possible Coordinated Unrest

Wijepala told lawmakers that the incidents, when considered together, appeared to indicate possible planning and an attempt at sabotage. However, he stressed that authorities would need to conduct a comprehensive investigation before reaching any further conclusions.

“We have controlled the situation now. There are no concerns about security,” Wijepala told parliament.

He said any further determination about the cause or coordination of the incidents would depend on the investigation.

Sri Lanka's Prisons Face Severe Overcrowding

The latest riots have occurred against the backdrop of a major overcrowding problem in Sri Lanka's prison network.

The country's 22 prisons currently hold more than 41,000 inmates, despite having been built to accommodate about 11,000 people.

More than three-quarters of the prisoners are remand inmates awaiting trial. Many of those prisoners are facing narcotics-related charges.

The overcrowding has become a major issue for the country's prison system as authorities continue to deal with large numbers of people awaiting court proceedings.

Earlier Prison Violence in Sri Lanka

The latest incidents follow deadly violence at other prisons in recent weeks.

In early July, two days of fighting at a prison in the coastal town of Negombo, about 35 km (20 miles) north of Colombo, resulted in the deaths of 10 prison officials and 20 prisoners.

Last weekend, one inmate was killed and several others were injured during a riot at Mahara Prison, around 14 km from Colombo.

Sri Lanka Plans Judicial Changes to Reduce Prison Numbers

Sri Lanka is also planning to amend its constitution to extend the tenure of superior court judges by two years.

The proposed change is part of efforts to address a backlog of more than 1 million court cases and reduce the number of prisoners held in the country's overcrowded prison system.

#Global News #Global Updates #Sri Lanka #World News