The Department of Prisons has launched an investigation into the death of an inmate following a clash at the Monaragala Prison.
An inmate from Ampara, who was convicted for drug related offences, had reportedly assaulted a prison official after behaving in an aggressive manner.
Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya said a team of prison officials had thereafter used minimum force to control the inmate, who had later succumbed to injuries after being admitted to the Monaragala Hospital.
A prison official from the Monaragala Prison had also been injured by the inmate and was admitted to hospital, Upuldeniya said.
Officers from the Police Special Task Force (STF) and Army were deployed to the Monaragala Prison to control a tense situation that had arisen in the prison as a result of the incident.
The Commissioner General of Prisons said the Superintendent of the Badulla Prisons has launched an investigation into the incident.
Stringent action will be taken against prison officials found to have misused their power during the incident, he added. (NewsWire)