A recent prison riot in Sri Lanka has left one person dead and six injured. The riot took place at the Mahara prison, located about 15 km from the commercial capital Colombo. The prison, which has a capacity of around 1,000, is currently housing approximately 4,100 inmates, highlighting the severe overcrowding issues in the country’s prison system.
Overcrowding and Violence
The riot began during family visiting hours, with prisoners climbing atop roofs and setting fire to a building within the prison complex. The inmates also burned documents kept inside administration offices. This incident is not an isolated event, as Sri Lanka’s prisons have been plagued by violence and overcrowding. In early July, a clash between two groups of inmates at a prison in Negombo resulted in the deaths of ten prison officials and 20 prisoners.
The Sri Lankan government has responded to the recent riot by increasing security measures across its prisons. The air force deployed a helicopter and drones above the prison complex during the riot, and a police curfew was imposed on Saturday night in three surrounding villages to maintain peace.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
