8 Killed, 45 Hurt in Attempted Prison Break in Sri Lanka

In an attempted prison break from a maximum security prison in Mahara, on the outskirts of Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, the death toll rose to eight on Monday, while 45 were injured, police said.

DIG Police Spokesperson Ajith Rohana told Xinhua that all the people who died were prisoners, while the wounded included prison guards, some of whom were in critical condition, reports Xinhua.

On Sunday afternoon, Rohana said serious unrest broke out inside the prison premises when a large number of inmates broke their cells and tried to run to the main gate of the prison in an attempt to escape.

Prison guards opened fire immediately to get the situation under control, killing a prisoner and critically injuring several others.

The police spokesman said the inmates were protesting against a spread of the COVID-19 virus within the prison and therefore wanted to be released.

Prison officials said at least 180 inmates were infected with the virus inside the Mahara prison and were isolated from the rest. At least 2,500 inmates are housed in the Mahara jail.

Rohana said protection in and outside the prison premises has been tightened and the special task force of the police has been deployed.

On Sunday evening, prisoners set fire to the prison premises, and by early Monday, the fire was already absolutely engulfed, he said.

Till Monday morning, police officers were still attempting to bring the situation under control.

The Mahara prison is one among five prisons in the country which has reported COVID-19 outbreaks among inmates and prison guards, local media reported.

About 1,000 prisoners from five jails around the country have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks, according to official estimates.

Last week, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa decided to offer a presidential pardon for 600 inmates, local media quoted Prisons Commissioner Thushara Upuldeniya as saying, considering the rapid spread of the virus in prisons.

However, he said the presidential pardon will not apply to those who have been incarcerated for committing serious offenses.

All prisons have been instructed to send the lists of prisoners to be considered for the presidential pardon to the prison headquarters as soon as possible.