Colombo, July 7:
Clashes broke out inside a prison in the outskirts of Sri Lanka’s capital, killing at least 26 people and injuring more than 100, officials reported Monday. Police said the clashes erupted on Sunday between two rival groups of inmates in the over-capacity prison in Negombo, about 35 kilometres north of the capital, Colombo. On Monday, clashes erupted again as rioting inmates got hold of prison guns. Twenty-six people, including seven prison officials, have been killed and over 100 injured as a result of the clashes and subsequent disturbances within the prison, authorities said. “This is an institution under my purview; hence, I take responsibility. Seven prison officials and nineteen inmates have died,” Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara told reporters. He said that the situation had been brought under control while adding that action must be taken to prevent recurrence of this nature. Preliminary findings have revealed that the violence is believed to have erupted between a group allegedly supporting drug trafficking activities within the prison and another group opposed to such activities.