JULY 7, 2026
Death toll from Sri Lanka prison clash reaches 26 as officials cite gang rivalries and welfare groups point to overcrowding
A clash at Negombo Prison, about 35 kilometers north of Colombo, has left 26 people dead — seven prison officials and 19 inmates — with a further 77 people, including 23 officials and 54 inmates, still receiving hospital treatment. The violence began between inmates on Sunday and escalated Monday when guards intervened and were attacked. Sri Lanka's Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara told parliament the clash is believed to be linked to narcotic drugs and gang rivalries.
The unrest at Negombo Prison started as a fight between inmates on Sunday before turning violent on Monday when guards intervened. According to Justice Minister Nanayakkara, the initial assault targeted inmates who had acted as informants to authorities, after which prison guards came under attack with bricks and clubs. Nanayakkara said the majority of the prison officials who died were beaten by inmates, and guards fired their weapons to control the situation and protect themselves.
The minister told parliament that some firearms fell into the hands of inmates during the clash, and said an investigation would determine whether the weapons came from the armory or were taken from guards. He also said a small group of organized inmates destroyed CCTV cameras and a body scanner, which he described as an effort to disrupt systems that block contraband from entering the prison. Some 734 inmates involved in the violence were subsequently transferred to other prisons.
Nanayakkara announced that a committee led by a retired judge is being established alongside a police probe and an internal prison department investigation. The inquiries will examine what led to the clashes, whether security lapses occurred, and whether prison congestion contributed to the unrest.