Sri Lanka prison death toll rises as officers succumb to injuries

The death toll from the violent clashes at Negombo Prison has risen to 31 after two more prison officers succumbed to their injuries while receiving treatment at the National Hospital in Colombo.

Ada Derana reported that the two officers died on 13 July and in the early hours of 14 July. Sri Lankan police said the deceased officers were aged 25 and 39.

The latest deaths bring the number of prison officers killed in the clashes to 10, while 21 inmates also lost their lives. The violence took place at Negombo Prison on 5 and 6 July, in one of Sri Lanka’s deadliest prison incidents in recent years.

Several injured inmates and prison officers remain under treatment at the National Hospital in Colombo and Negombo Hospital.

The updated toll comes amid continuing scrutiny of Sri Lanka’s prison system, after the clashes exposed severe overcrowding, poor detention conditions and questions over how the violence escalated inside the facility. Negombo Prison was reportedly holding around 2,400 inmates despite having a designed capacity of only 650.

Hundreds of inmates were transferred to other prisons across the island following the unrest, including facilities in Jaffna, Batticaloa, Welikada, Boossa and Angunakolapelessa.

Rights groups have raised concern over the treatment of prisoners moved from Negombo, with allegations that some transferred inmates were subjected to torture and ill-treatment.

The Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners had raised concerns with a visiting United Nations delegation last month over overcrowding, custodial deaths, torture and deteriorating detention conditions in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Department of Prisons has said that the Rs. 500,000 paid to the families of prison officers killed in the clashes was only an initial compensation payment, following criticism over the amount.

Prisons Commissioner and Media Spokesperson A. C. Gajanayake said the department is considering providing more than Rs. 2 million in total compensation to each affected family.

Gajanayake also said the Department of Prisons had covered all funeral expenses for the deceased officers and was considering compensation for prison officers injured in the incident.

The Negombo clashes have renewed attention on Sri Lanka’s long history of prison violence, including the Mahara Prison killings in 2020 and the 2012 Welikada Prison massacre.

Investigations into the Negombo violence remain ongoing.