United News of Bangladesh

A riot at a prison in Sri Lanka’s western region last month caused property damage worth more than 100 million Sri Lankan rupees, or about $299,000, according to the Department of Prisons. The unrest broke out at Negombo Prison on July 5 when clashes erupted between two groups of inmates. The violence caused extensive damage to prison facilities and inmate registration records, officials said. A total of 32 people were killed and more than 100 others injured during the unrest. Several other prison riots were reported across Sri Lanka in the weeks that followed the Negombo incident. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat on Aug 7 to review prison security and the safety of inmates. Following the meeting, authorities decided to establish a joint mechanism involving prison officials, police, the Special Task Force and, when necessary, the armed forces. The mechanism will cover all 33 prisons in the country and coordinate responses to emergencies as well as issues related to inmate welfare.