Nine killed in Sri Lankan prison riot.

[Death Rattle]

Nine killed in Sri Lankan prison riot.
Published on November 9, 2012 by SAReporter

Colombo, Nov 9 (IANS) At least nine people were killed and 20 security personnel injured when a riot broke out at a prison here Friday.

The riot broke out when prison guards together with police commandos attempted to search the cells of the Welikada prison for heroin and mobile phones, reported Xinhua, quoting Sri Lankan prisons commissioner P.W. Kodippili.

The prisoners then attacked the guards and police with stones forcing the police to fire teargas inside the prison to control the situation.

The situation, however, further escalated and the military was called in as the prisoners broke into the prison armoury and stole the weapons, Kodippili said.

He said the prisoners fired at the security forces and the police using the weapons they had stolen.

Witnesses said some inmates attempted to escape from the prison and were shot at by the security forces.

The Colombo national hospital said nine bodies were brought to the hospital and 34 were admitted with injuries. Among those injured was the head of the police commando unit.

Some journalists who went to cover the riot were also injured and admitted to hospital.

A busy road adjoining the prison complex was closed during evening rush hour as bullets fell on the street.

Police and army reinforcements were deployed to the prison and the situation was brought under control, the commissioner said.

IANS 2012-11-09 21:46:05

Nine killed in Sri Lankan prison riot | Vancouverdesi.com

 

[Skyline]

16 killed so far.

 

[Kazhugu]

i read 34 tamil fishermen are in that jail...hope they are safe.....

 

[Skyline]

i read 34 tamil fishermen are in that jail...hope they are safe.....

nope, foreigners don't keep in same with local prisoners. They have separate one.

 

[kurup]

India monitors Sri Lankan prison riot

India on Saturday said it is "closely monitoring" the situation arising out of the violence at Welikada prison in Sri Lanka, where 39 Indians are lodged.

The toll in the prison riot has risen to 27 after prisoners and military overnight exchanged gunfire.

"India's high commission in Sri Lanka has been closely monitoring the evolving situation in the Welikada prison since last evening," India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said here.

"This morning, (Indian) High Commissioner Ashok Kantha has been in touch with (Sri Lankan) Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Foreign Secretary Amunugama. He was assured that the situation is under control and all Indian prisoners are safe," Akbaruddin said.

"Officials of the Indian high commission in Colombo have been in touch with prison officials and are pressing for early consular access," he added.

Of the 39 Indian prisoners, five are undertrials brought from Jaffna in the northeastern part of the island nation, and the rest 34 are undergoing their sentence.

There are nearly 4,000 inmates in the prison.

India monitors Sri Lankan prison riot - India - DNA

 

[Skyline]

^^ foreign prisoners in different one, they don't mix murderers with other smaller cases.
Indians and all other foreign prisoners are safe.

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INDIAN PRISONERS IN WELIKADA SAFE - KANTHA

The 33 Indian convicts and the five remand prisoners in Welikada prison were safe, the Indian High Commission said on Saturday morning. Clashes between security personnel and prisoners inside claimed over 25 lives since last evening.

“The High Commission has been constantly monitoring the situation since the time the clashes broke out. The Sri Lankan authorities have told us that the Indian prisoners are safe,” High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Ashok K Kantha, told The Hindu.