One person was killed and 11 others were injured during the unrest that broke out at Magazine Prison on Thursday night, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said.
The minister said no live rounds were fired by authorities during the operation to bring the situation under control.
“There were 11 reported injuries and one fatality. A post-mortem examination is required to determine the cause of death, as no live rounds were fired during the unrest. The situation has now been brought under control,” the minister told state media.
“The immediate trigger for the unrest appears to have been the detection of a package containing narcotics and the subsequent arrest. It is evident that this was a response to the government’s anti-narcotics drive,” he said.
The disturbance at Magazine Prison involved around 40 inmates and prompted the deployment of Police and the Special Task Force (STF) to provide external security. Authorities have also suspended visitor access to the prison following the incident. (Newswire)