78 statements recorded over Mahara prison unrest

Police and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have recorded 78 statements over the unrest which took place at the Mahara Prison, Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said.

He said statements were recorded from 34 prison officers, 28 inmates, nine doctors and seven male nurses over the clashes that broke out on December 2.

CID told the Wattala Magistrate today that they had taken charge of the investigation.

Meanwhile, the Ragama police is conducting investigations over the 11 inmates who had lost their lives during the melee. PCR tests were  carried out on the bodies of the victims and the results revealed that eight were tested COVID-19 positive.

He further said that two bodies had been identified by the relatives of the diseased. 

“One was a 39-year-old from the Ja-Ela area, who was arrested by the police over a drug offence and the second victim was a resident of the Hunupitiya area in Wattala. He too had been arrested over a drug peddling offence by the Kiribathgoda police,” he said.

During the clashes, 107 persons received injuries and were admitted to the Ragama hospital, the Police Media Spokesman added.