CID investigating Mahara Prison Riot; 107 prisoners injured in total

A CID team led by a Superintendent of Police was dispatched to investigate the events leading to the Riot.

The bodies of the dead prisoners are yet to be identified said the Police Spokesperson adding the magisterial inquiry into the deceased will take place on Tuesday (01), followed by a postmortem examination.

A total of 107 prisoners were injured in the Mahara Prison Riot, said the Police Spokesperson who also said

200 Police Special Task Force personnel and 400 Police Officers have been deployed for security at the Mahara Prison and the other perimeter.

The riot started on Sunday (29) evening and went on until Monday (30) afternoon.

The Police Spokesperson said the Prison Superintendents Office, the Head Jailors Office, archives, stores, and infirmary were damaged by the rioting prisoners.

Justice Minister Ali Sabry appointed a five-member committee on Monday (Nov 30) to investigate the riots and violence that erupted at the Mahara prison Sunday evening.

According to a statement from the ministry, the committee is chaired by retired High Court Judge Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena and includes Chief Legal Advisor to the Ministry of Justice U R De Silva, Justice Ministry Additional Secretary Rohana Hapugaswatte, Police Media Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana and former Prisons Commissioner Gamini Jayasinghe.

The committee is expected to submit an interim report within one week and another with recommendations for short and long-term actions within a month, the ministry said.

The Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), C.D. Wickramaratne to probe into the tense situation escalated at the Mahara Prison after several inmates were reportedly struggling to escape the prison premises demonstrating unruly behavior.