Clashes in Sri Lankan Prison Leave at Least 25 Dead and over 100 Injured
Police said rival inmate groups fought over prison guns as security forces deployed riot units and the military stayed on standby.
- Violent clashes at Negombo Prison in Sri Lanka killed 25 people and injured 72 over the weekend and into Monday, July 6, 2026, including four prison officers.
- Fighting began between two rival drug gangs, with preliminary findings suggesting the unrest stemmed from conflicts over trafficking activities within the severely overcrowded facility housing nearly 10,000 inmates.
- Negombo General Hospital Director Pushpa Gamlath reported many victims arrived with severe gunshot wounds after security personnel opened fire to disperse rioting inmates.
- Minister of Justice, Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara ordered a detailed report on the incident, while the Police Special Task Force deployed to secure the area as investigations commenced.
- Authorities transferred three inmates to the Pallansena Prison Camp on Monday to restore order, as Sri Lanka grapples with 41,250 prisoners—four times the system's actual capacity.
107 Articles
107 Articles
In a prison revolt in Sri Lanka, at least 25 people were killed and about 100 injured. Forces search the grounds of the detention centre in Negombo for more victims.
What caused the deadly clashes in Sri Lankan prison that left 25 dead, over 100 injured
Clashes inside a jail in Sri Lanka's Negombo lead to the death of 25 people, including both inmates and police officers, and left over a 100 injured. Following the incident, authorities have decided to transfer some inmates to different prisons across the country.
Violent clashes erupted between inmates from two rival drug gangs at a prison in the western Sri Lankan city of Negombo on Sunday night, leaving at least 20 people dead, including four guards, and more than 100 injured in one of the country's worst prison riots in recent years.
What sparked the clashes is currently unknown.
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