Three member team to probe Welikada Prison clash

The Commissioner General of Prisons Major General V R de Silva has appointed a three-member committee to probe Sunday’s clash between the police and inmates of Sri Lanka’s high security Welikada Prison.

The committee headed by Senior Administrator Kenneth Fernando is to look into the incident and the cause for yesterday’s incident, Sri Lanka News agency, Lankapuvath reported.

The clash erupted when a large number of police officers were deployed Sunday to carry out a drug raid inside the prison cells and also to find mobile phones smuggled in to the prison.

The prisoners had attacked the unarmed officers with stones and utensils during the raid injuring 44 police officers and 4 prison officials. Superintendent of Police Ravindra Karavita of the Special Crimes Operations Unit was among the wounded police officers.  According to local media reports 5 inspectors, 6 Sergeants, 5 Sub Inspectors, and 28 Constables have received injuries. Director of the National hospital Dr. Hector Weerasinghe however, said that none of the injuries were life-threatening. Several prisoners have also been injured and are receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.

The Police Spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody said the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) is carrying out investigations into the incident.