Sri Lanka Prison Riot Claims 25 Lives, Hundreds Injured

Sun Sep 06 2026 13:24:11 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A deadly two‑day riot at Negombo prison left at least 25 dead, including four guards, and over 100 injured in Sri Lanka.

In a brutal clash at Negombo prison, inmates surged for guns and mutinied, leading to gunfire, collapsed roofs, and mass casualties. The unrest began after a rival inmate revealed a drug trafficking link inside the prison, inciting a face‑off that spiraled into violence. Authorities moved troops onto the scene and began investigations, while the government announced transfers of inmates to fewer overcrowded facilities. Analysts say this is one of the worst prison riots in Sri Lanka in years, highlighting structural issues in overcrowding and management.

At least 25 people were killed and more than 100 injured in a two‑day riot at Negombo Prison.

The violence erupted when inmates seized guns, clashed over a drug‑trafficking informant, and stormed the prison roofs demanding release.

Military and police fought inside the facility, with shots echoing through the compound. A section of the roof collapsed, worsening the chaos.

While families waited outside, they received little information about the condition of their loved ones. The government moved some inmates to other prisons and ordered an inquiry into the causes of the riot.

With Sri Lankan prisons holding over 41,000 inmates—four times their capacity—the riots underscore a chronic overcrowding problem and a fraught prison system.