Sri Lanka: 27 dead in prison riot

USPA NEWS - In a prison uprising in Sri Lanka at least 27 people have been killed. The competent minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera took the Saturday before the Parliament in Colombo position to the uprising that had happened on Friday in the "maximum security prison" Welikada in the capital.

On Friday, therefore, 16 bodies had been found, another eleven on Saturday. He had appointed a three-member commission to investigate the incident, said Gajadeera. The rebellious inmates were looted 82 weapons from a gun safe in the prison, including machine guns, the minister added. But the authorities had regained most of the weapons.

Army was deployed
According to doctors at least among the dead was a prison guard. Four soldiers were among the 43 wounded. During the revolt, the army intervened.

The revolt began, according to an Army representative, an elite police unit in the prison looking for smuggled drugs and mobile phones. Some prisoners have resorted to the weapons of the guards and use them. The confrontation with the guards lasted several hours. The situation was now completely under control.

Minister Gajadeera took the Saturday before the Parliament in Colombo commented on the uprising. He had appointed a three-member commission to investigate the incident. Gajadeeras reportedly 27 people were killed. 16 bodies were thus brought to hospital on Friday evening, on Saturday were eleven more dead found in the prison.

43 injured people were hospitalized, including 13 elite policemen, four soldiers and a civilian, as Vice Chief of Staff EM Ranawana said. From hospital sources said at least one prison guard was among the dead consigned.

The prison had been the scene of several riots. In January, 25 prisoners and four guards were hurt; in 2010 a total of 50 people injured in a riot during a raid in Welikada injuries.