Unrest at Welikada Prison brought under control

The Prisons Department said that a tense situation which had erupted at the Welikada Prison today due to a protest by a group of inmates had been brought under control.

Prison officials were deployed this afternoon to control the situation after a group of inmates 
who are serving long prison terms were protesting on the roof, behaving in a riotous manner, harassing other inmates.

They demanded reduction in their sentence or a general pardon.

Prisons authorities said they had discussed the matter with the protesting inmates, but they had refused to get down from the roof. 

Accordingly, the authorities had taken steps to control the situation. Several inmates who had behaved in an unruly manner had been sent to a cell while several other inmates are still on the roof of the prison.(DSB)