COLOMBO ; Total number of deaths following the Mahara Prison riot has risen to 11, stated Police Media Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana.
A total of 107 persons injured in the incident are currently receiving treatment at the Ragama Hospital, he added.
Unrest at the Mahara Prison broke out on Sunday evening (29) when a group of inmates attempted to escape the facility following a conflict with prison officials.
Prison authorities had opened fire to control the situation and a team of Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel was deployed to assist prison authorities.
Subsequently, a massive fire had broken out at the prison after several inmates set fire to the health office, a storage area, and several other places within the prison.
The fire had raged on until 3.00 am yesterday (30) and was later completely extinguished with help of 06 fire trucks.
Two prison officials who were held hostage by prison inmates were also rescued.
Meanwhile, Rapid Antigen Tests carried out on the hospitalized inmates confirmed that a total of 38 hospitalized inmates are positive for Covid-19.
It was later revealed that the rioting inmates had also broken into the prison’s medical section and consumed the stored pharmaceuticals including the ones used to treat mental illnesses resulting them being more violent.
Meanwhile, DIG Rohana who was appointed as one of the members of the Committee of Inquiry of the Mahara Prison riots, said that he was unable to accept the additional assignment due to heavy work load as the Police spokesman
