Video: Prison riot: death toll rises to 27

10 November 2012 05:22 am - 55 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

Sri Lankan troops found 11 bodies of convicts Saturday raising the death toll in an overnight prison riot in the capital to 27, prisons minister said.
Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera told parliament that 27 people were killed in Friday's rioting at Colombo's maximum security Welikada prison where inmates fought gunbattles with elite police commandos who carried out a search.

"Sixteen bodies are at the hospital and another 11 were found in the prison today," Gajadeera said in a special statement to the legislature. "I have appointed a three-member committee to investigate the incident."

Army spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya earlier said troops recovered six bodies of inmates from the prison on Saturday morning.

"During our search operation this morning, we found six dead bodies of inmates in addition to the 16 bodies at the hospital last night," Wanigasooriya told AFP.

He said prison guards and police had also carried out searches and may have recovered more bodies.

The minister said rioting inmates had seized 82 guns, including automatic assault rifles, from a prison armoury they broke into, but the authorities were able to recover most of them.

"A search is on for five weapons which are still missing," the minister said.

Hospital sources said that at least one prison guard was among those killed. Thirteen police commandos and four soldiers were also among 43 people who were wounded in the riot.- AFP

Pix by Lal S. Kumara

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

Comments - 55

Guest Sunday, 11 November 2012 04:55 AM

It shows the inefficiency of the govt rule of democracy.

LankanLion Saturday, 10 November 2012 04:09 PM

2011?

Aeiou Saturday, 10 November 2012 04:30 PM

Very good.. well done kotabya.. we dont want our tax monies wasted on feeding these criminal.. pls continue this good work.

Aeiou Saturday, 10 November 2012 04:38 PM

the dead are convicted criminals.. involved in drugs & kidnapping.. from their proson cells.

Aeiou Saturday, 10 November 2012 04:42 PM

animals dont sell drugs & kidnap people..

Fair N Square Saturday, 10 November 2012 04:59 PM

they were ARMED, they broke in to the armoury.READ b4 u comment..
Wish the STF killed all of em so they don't live another day to do something even worse.. now the burden of compensating and caring for the stf's widows n family is the responsibility of the TAX payers..

palitha Saturday, 10 November 2012 05:11 PM

top dogs don't mind ..all are underdogs

hassa Saturday, 10 November 2012 05:14 PM

this search oporation must continued and a total clean up hve to be in in prisons

Ansushka Himali Saturday, 10 November 2012 05:33 PM

They fought a good battle with STF , even Karuna and Pillayen during their terrorsist days could not do with STF in the eastern front

divan Saturday, 10 November 2012 05:41 PM

these are the harvest of our corrupted administration by rullers.nothing else.....

Banda Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:43 PM

Humanitarian Rescue Mission 2012 with zero casualities

Naweed Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:47 PM

Now i know the meaning of that advertisement which went in TV "Kolaba weans wei "

CEDRIC Saturday, 10 November 2012 08:58 PM

ANOTHER DAY IN THE LIFE OF PARADISE ISLAND
WONDER OF ASIA.

SMART SRI LANKAN Sunday, 11 November 2012 04:52 AM

new drama to divert peoples thinking. pls try to be smart sri lankan

Faris, Saturday, 10 November 2012 04:02 PM

Send our Doctor, things can be under controlled within a short period.

Sammy Sunday, 11 November 2012 05:01 AM

Criminals will be criminals. However, in addition to physical punishment attempts should be made to reform as much as possible. This will be of some benefit to the exchequer as well.

Lobo Sunday, 11 November 2012 05:54 AM

These are also your countrymen...so what does that make you?

janman Sunday, 11 November 2012 06:30 AM

That is not the case.This minister and the aHead of the prison still holding their posts.If it happenend in a Democratic country both has already given up their posts.Am I correct.

Bagalawathie Sunday, 11 November 2012 09:01 AM

Life is very cheap in this country, but Buddhist statues are all over the place.

lasagne Sunday, 11 November 2012 09:59 AM

I think we can justify. I hope they all are tami l s like in 1983

lasagne Sunday, 11 November 2012 10:00 AM

You forget to add tamils

RamUK Sunday, 11 November 2012 10:43 AM

Feel utterly embarrassed but at least i used the free education brought by Kanankara and Mahapola Scholarship by Lalith ...so i assume i am bit different

xlntgson Sunday, 11 November 2012 12:29 PM

Total 27000 prisoners, 40'/. drug addicts, 23'/. moonshine hoochers! Whip can rule this country than VIP.

RamUK Sunday, 11 November 2012 05:22 PM

it is shame you remind me 83 July again which looks like fun for you but i lost my dad hopefully you understand others feelings ...never learn...

Kj Sunday, 11 November 2012 11:45 PM

The target taken? - drama with one clear target/objective...

manpei Monday, 12 November 2012 01:45 AM

lasangne. There's a special place in hell for people like you.

Lobo Monday, 12 November 2012 02:17 AM

Sorry for your loss but don't think all SInhalese are barbarians like the criminals in these jails. There were many who sacrificed and risked what little they had to help and safeguard tamils at that time.

The Goblin Saturday, 10 November 2012 07:31 AM

Now is the time to bring sanity to Sri Lanka society. This is the result of poor governess.

Ravin Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:00 AM

Nice cover up for the useless budget.

MAN - ZCC Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:02 AM

WHY NOT INTRODUCE THE DEATH PENALTY CRIMES WILL DRASTICALLY REDUCE

frank hilary Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:07 AM

This is purely the direct result of the bad example set by the present day legislators of this country.

Lanka Lokkah Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:12 AM

Very,Very TRUE

Kondebandapuchhena Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:13 AM

If you notice how violent they are at the roof death toll will rise more,now is the right time to carry out Death penalty,

Nimal Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:18 AM

Death Penalty has to be introduced, these Criminals can never be rehabilitated, they are a danger/ threat for the civil society, Understand around 15 have escaped, I wish all these Guys were killed/shot by STF, this was a good opportunity to get rid of these dangerous criminals/ unfortunately STF/Army missed this golden opportunity

Lanka Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:22 AM

The minister should resign from his post.

meenavan Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:22 AM

killing animal should be banned....but killing human.....? miracle of asia

patana Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:28 AM

Oh right. We have a prisons minister too. He has only the prisons to look after. But he seems to be an abject failure.

Jagath Leanage Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:33 AM

Hope it will be hundreds or thousands. What is the purpose of keeping these culprits ( Drug dealers, Murderers, Rapists etc) inside a prisson and feeding them with our tax money?
Hope and pray nothing has happened to our great soldiers and STF gentlemen and other officials.

kuttimani Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:34 AM

wel come guys , i am here, we will live together

RamUK Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:41 AM

Men from stone age can not chage them easily those pic spk for them self this what sl represented by..

OMG Saturday, 10 November 2012 06:47 AM

Seriously the prisons should be moved away from Colombo.

The Goblin Saturday, 10 November 2012 05:30 AM

Fast tracking the death penalty ?

Mangala Saturday, 10 November 2012 07:44 AM

Im not a SLgov supporter, but for what he should resign? He did good thing by ordering to STF to search. I think firing order also should get from court before go into prison.

paul Saturday, 10 November 2012 07:45 AM

The death penalty does not reduce crime. Check out the statistics in USA where crime rates are higher in states with death penalty. How do you teach people not to kill by killing people???

bandara Saturday, 10 November 2012 07:56 AM

still media exposed only one side of the story, the rootcoause is still hidden ?

ashok Saturday, 10 November 2012 07:57 AM

This is all due to corrupt prison employees, those who are responsible should be put behind Bars.

kabi Saturday, 10 November 2012 08:04 AM

These comments show the mentality of the srilankan people... 27 humans died no person showed a sympathy for them. A true human being should show sympathy even to an enemy...

Upu Saturday, 10 November 2012 08:05 AM

This is how problems are solved in Sri Lankan way.

Raju Raju Saturday, 10 November 2012 08:12 AM

They are human too.
Their mothers carried them for 300 days in their womb.
But the government can't wait for at least 36 hours?

Sarath Saturday, 10 November 2012 08:39 AM

These killings cannot be justified. They were unarmed prisoners.

patriot Saturday, 10 November 2012 09:05 AM

Thank God, SF is out of this hell hole.

Kool Saturday, 10 November 2012 01:26 PM

Erm... out of the 225 who are not failures ? I only think we can account for about 10% to being successful.

lovesri Saturday, 10 November 2012 01:38 PM

We are paying for all these jokes

Namal Saturday, 10 November 2012 03:53 PM

Never ever say that killing prisoners is a good thing. they are the future of Sri lanka. We lost 27 people politicians. These people are rehabilitated here to rule our country and to help the ones who rules. Since our politicians earn a such poor salary, these people make a living for them. Now this is a very sad situation. Now who will fill up the position of these 27. It takes years to be one.

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Video: Prison riot: death toll rises to 27

Comments - 55

Add comment

RECOMMENDED

UDA owned land in Thalawathugoda; UDA Minister Prasanna Ranatunga under the spotlight for forceful occupation of reserved land

Loss-making SMIB faces political pressure in recovering loans

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: MV Dali, SL authorities anchored in mystery?

Has Sri Lanka become a potential hub for the illegal wildlife trade?

Spotlight on Moragahakanda Development Project Moragolla villagers lose livelihoods and down to one meal a day

Ambitious Sri Lankan jobseekers ‘trafficked into Ukraine war zones’

Western purple-faced langurs see blue!

Most Viewed in News

Sri Lankan among NASA’s new crew for next simulated Mars journey

Former MP Palitha Thewarapperuma dies from electrocution

Street food vendor arrested for verbally harassing foreigner

Belgian traveller scammed in Kalutara

New Visa procedure implemented

Confusion remains if April 15 is a bank holiday

MIRROR CRICKET

Chamari Athapaththu sets big goal for T20 World Cup

How does CSK get best out of Pathirana?

Mendis, Mathews move up in ICC Test Rankings

Chamodi, Dewmi spins Sri Lanka U19 Women to big win

TODAY'S HEADLINES

Debt Restructuring Talks: Bondholders Fear Regime Change Impact

Don’t be deceived by NPP and Cardinal Ranjith: UNP

Emirates halts check-in for connections, UL cancels flights to Dubai

Plans afoot to obtain “Blue Flag Beaches” certification for SL beaches

Hardik fined Rs 12 lakh for violating IPL code of conduct after win over Punjab Kings

Chamari Athapaththu sets big goal for T20 World Cup

How does CSK get best out of Pathirana?

Mendis, Mathews move up in ICC Test Rankings