Deadly violence erupted inside a prison on the outskirts of Sri Lanka’s capital, claiming the lives of at least 25 people and sending more than 100 others to the hospital, according to officials and a local television station reporting Monday.
Police confirmed the unrest broke out at the prison in Negombo, located roughly 35 kilometers — about 22 miles — north of the capital city of Colombo. The disturbance started Sunday and carried over into Monday. Police spokesman Chandana Herath acknowledged there were fatalities but said he could not immediately verify the death toll as reported by local television station Hiru.
According to the TV station’s reporting, those killed and wounded included both prisoners and prison staff members.
Authorities have not yet determined what triggered the violent outbreak.
A hospital official at the main state-run medical facility in the area confirmed that more than 100 people had been admitted for injuries connected to the prison violence. The official spoke without being identified, saying he was not authorized to give statements to the press, and did not provide details about the nature of the injuries.
Sri Lanka’s prison system is severely overcrowded. More than 39,000 inmates are currently held in facilities that were built to hold only 10,000 people.
