One inmate was killed and ten others have been injured throughout unrest between two teams of prisoners on the New Journal Jail in Borella shortly after midnight yesterday (6 August).
The Division of Prisons acknowledged that the confrontation was triggered after jail officers seized a parcel containing heroin that had been thrown into the jail compound from exterior.
In keeping with the Division, a bunch of inmates threatened jail officers following the seizure. Police stated that round 45 inmates subsequently broke out of a jail cell and emerged into the jail compound.
Police additional acknowledged that almost all of these inmates have been associates of the organised crime determine generally known as “Kosmalli”. As they tried to make their means in direction of the jail’s important gate, jail officers took motion to carry the state of affairs underneath management.
The inmate who died throughout the unrest was recognized as 35-year-old Mohammad Asman Sheriffdeen, a resident of Katuwana, Homagama.
Police stated he had been charged in reference to a number of murders, together with a double murder at Watarappala in Mount Lavinia and one other double murder in Negombo.
In keeping with info obtained by investigators, he’s suspected of getting acted as a contract gunman for the organised crime determine generally known as “Homagama Handaya”. Court docket proceedings towards him are presently pending earlier than a number of courts, together with these in Galle, Ampara, Negombo and Homagama.
Police information additionally point out that he was initially recognized because the suspected gunman within the high-profile homicide of Ganemulla Sanjeewa throughout the early levels of that investigation.
The ten inmates injured within the conflict have been admitted to the jail hospital for remedy. In the meantime, 9 inmates suspected of orchestrating the unrest have been transferred to different prisons.
The Division of Prisons stated {that a} particular investigation into the incident has been launched.
