Sri Lanka deploys troops after deadly Mahara Prison riot

Sri Lanka deployed hundreds of troops and Special Task Force commandos on Sunday to end a riot at Mahara Prison near Colombo, after one inmate was killed and six others wounded. Deputy police inspector-general Sanjeewa Medawatte said inmates had destroyed multiple buildings a day earlier, before order was restored inside the overcrowded facility.

How did authorities respond to the Mahara Prison riot?

Police called in reinforcements from Sri Lanka's armed forces and Special Task Force commandos to restore order at Mahara Prison. Medawatte said the additional forces helped send inmates back to their cells, bringing the situation under control by Sunday.

"We got reinforcements from the armed forces and the Special Task Force commandos to restore order and send the inmates back to their cells," Medawatte told reporters outside the prison.

What damage did the Mahara Prison riot cause?

Inmates completely destroyed the prison's kitchen, hospital, a newly built rehabilitation building and vocational training facilities, Medawatte said. The scale of destruction points to how far the unrest spread before reinforcements arrived on Sunday.

Why is Mahara Prison so overcrowded?

Mahara Prison held 4,100 inmates, roughly four times its intended capacity, a problem seen across Sri Lanka's jail system. More than three-quarters of the country's prisoners are held on remand awaiting trial, most in connection with drug offences.

Has Sri Lanka had prison riots before?

Sri Lanka's prisons have a history of deadly unrest. In November 2020, a riot at Mahara Prison left 11 inmates shot dead and nearly 120 wounded, while a riot at another regional prison last month killed 10 guards and 21 inmates.

What is Sri Lanka doing about prison overcrowding?

Authorities announced plans last month to convert disused state buildings into new prisons, an effort aimed at easing overcrowding at facilities like Mahara Prison.