(COLOMBO) – At least 30 inmates that had broken out from a State-owned drug rehabilitation centre in north-central Sri Lanka last week were arrested when they attempted to hijack a bus loaded with pilgrims, the military said on Tuesday.
According to a senior Army official the arrested persons were a part of a large group that broke out from the Kandhakadu Centre in the Buddhist holy city of Anuradhapura early last week.
At least 10 persons were injured including a soldier following clashes between the inmates that finally led to the breakout.
There have been several similar breakouts from the same centre in the past, but most if not all either surrendered to the authorities or were re-arrested.
The authorities have since doubled the number of guards at the centre, while two other facilities to hold drug addicts are currently under construction, an official said.
