Prison Commissioner and Media Spokesman A. C. Gajanayake says the compensation amount to be given to the families of prison officers who died in the Negombo Prison clash could exceed Rs. 2 million, it was reported.
According to the state newspaper Dinamina, he said that while a final conclusion on the total compensation has not yet been reached, with government intervention an initial payment of Rs. 500,000 has already been made.
This, he said, is only a preliminary installment of the full compensation to be provided.
The Department of Prisons has borne all expenses related to the funerals of the deceased officers and is also reviewing compensation for those injured in the incident. Seven officers remain hospitalized and continue to receive treatment.
Prison officers have stressed that families of colleagues who lost their lives while on duty must receive adequate compensation.
They pointed out that following the 2012 Welikada Prison clash, Rs. 2 million was granted for a deceased inmate and Rs. 500,000 for an injured inmate.
Prison sources stressed that since the Negombo clash occurred 14 years after Welikada, maximum fairness should be ensured for the officers who died.
Trade unions and other organizations are preparing to submit written requests to the President, the Minister of Justice, and other relevant authorities in the coming days. (Newswire)