At least 25 people have been killed and more than 100 injured following violent clashes inside a prison on the outskirts of Sri Lanka’s capital, authorities said on Monday.
The unrest began on Sunday at a prison in Negombo, around 35 kilometres north of Colombo, and continued into Monday, according to local media reports and police, reports AP/UNB.
Media reports said the dead included both inmates and prison officials, while more than 100 others were injured in the violence.
Police spokesman Chandana Herath confirmed that a serious clash had taken place inside the prison and acknowledged fatalities, but did not provide further details on the incident.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the violence.
An official at the main state-run hospital in the area said more than 100 injured individuals had been admitted for treatment. The official, who requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media, did not disclose the nature or severity of the injuries.
Sri Lanka’s prison system has long been under strain due to severe overcrowding, with more than 39,000 inmates held in facilities designed for around 10,000 people.
