Overview
- Clashes began on Sunday evening at the overcrowded Negombo Prison and flared again on Monday as fighting spread through multiple sections of the facility.
- Official counts have varied as authorities continued on-site tallies, with reports naming between 19 and 25 dead and more than 100 wounded; hospitals said many victims had gunshot wounds, cuts, and severe bruises.
- Prisoners reportedly seized firearms from inside the jail during the unrest, and multiple prison officers and guards were among the casualties when they tried to intervene.
- Security forces deployed Police Special Task Force units and riot teams, the military was placed on standby, drones and aircraft monitored the site, injured people were moved to Negombo and Colombo hospitals, and some inmates were transferred to other prisons.
- The violence has highlighted severe overcrowding in Sri Lanka’s prison system and alleged organised criminal networks inside jails, and authorities have opened special prison and police investigations plus a magisterial inquiry while the justice minister has requested detailed reports.