Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara told Parliament that preliminary information indicates the deadly violence at Negombo Prison may have been triggered by a clash between two rival groups linked to the illegal drug trade, while stressing that investigations are still ongoing and no final conclusions have been reached.
The Minister said the initial clash broke out on July 5 between two groups of inmates, leaving two prisoners dead and 35 others injured. Authorities were able to restore order that evening, but violence erupted again the following morning while inmates were being prepared for court appearances after breakfast.
Nanayakkara said prison authorities suspect the dispute may have been linked to inmates who had provided information to officials to prevent the smuggling of drugs and other contraband into the prison. He said such inmates are often targeted by criminal groups, adding that this was one possible motive behind the attack.
The Minister stressed that these are preliminary findings based on information currently available and that the final conclusions will depend on the outcome of ongoing investigations and the report of the committee appointed to probe the incident.
He also claimed that a small organised group deliberately destroyed CCTV cameras and a body scanner during the violence, suggesting an attempt to disable security systems used to prevent contraband from entering the prison. According to the Minister, not all inmates were involved, and many innocent prisoners were among those injured.
Nanayakkara said unarmed prison officers who attempted to intervene came under attack, with several officers killed while trying to protect their colleagues. He added that inmates later breached an iron gate and advanced towards another exit, warning that had they escaped the prison, they could have posed a serious threat to public safety.
The Minister said investigations are also underway to determine how some inmates came into possession of weapons during the unrest. (Newswire)