One inmate dead, three injured in Mahara Prison unrest | Daily News

One inmate dead, three injured in Mahara Prison unrest

* Prison guards, Police, STF bring situation under control
* Prisoners’ escape attempts thwarted

Officers of the Mahara Prison had used force in order to bring under control an unrest which had arisen at the Mahara Prison last evening, said Police Media Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana.

He said according to reports, one prisoner had died and three other inmates had been injured in the incident. In addition, four police teams headed by the Kelaniya and Ragama OICs have been deployed to bring the situation under control. Teams of Special Task Force personnel had also been deployed to bring the situation under control.

These teams have been deployed in order to provide security to the outer perimeter of the Mahara Prison.

A tense situation had arisen at the Mahara Prison due to a clash between the prison guards and the inmates. With several of the prison inmates being infected with the Coronavirus, another group of prisoners had attempted to escape from prison. This situation had led to a tense situation arising at the Mahara Prison and the prison authorities had to use force to bring the situation under control and prevent the prisoners from escaping.

Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 infected cases within prisons had increased to over 1000 by yesterday. The Prisons Department said that another 183 inmates tested positive for the coronavirus today taking the total to 1,091.

Yesterday (Saturday) 63 inmates at the Welikada Prison tested positive for the coronavirus.

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Another botched prison escape at Bogambara

Lahiru Fernando

Prison officials at the Old Bogambara Prison apprehended four inmates who attempted to escape from the Quarantine Centre set up at the prison premises in the wee hours of yesterday.

The escapees had been apprehended while they were trying to flee after breaking open a door. Later, the prison officers caught the inmates after firing warning shots into the air. Currently, over 300 inmates have been given accommodation at this Quarantine Centre. A similar escape attempt by the inmates was reported from the Old Bogambara Prison a few weeks ago where one of the five inmates died. The Department of Prisons is investigating the incident.