Clashes between rival inmate groups break out at Sri Lanka’s Negombo prison and lead to multiple deaths and injuries, according to police, hospital officials and other reports. The violence erupts between two groups said to be linked to drug trafficking activities and those opposing such activities, with authorities pointing to a drug-gang motive. Several outlets report that the fighting includes prisoners seizing or using firearms, after which the unrest escalates and security forces move in.
Injured people are taken to Negombo hospital, north of Colombo, with reports of more than 100 wounded, including inmates and some security personnel. The death toll reported by different outlets varies as authorities update figures: initial reports put fatalities at least 19, while later reporting cites higher totals, including around 23 and 25 deaths, with some sources specifying that guards are among those killed.
Authorities deploy special forces and riot-control units to restore order, and they launch investigations into the incident. Reports also indicate heightened security and that a magisterial inquiry and separate police and prisons-department inquiries are initiated to examine the cause and circumstances of the violence.
