The Negombo Prison clash left 28 dead, while investigators say 14 gunshot deaths remain unexplained and nearly 200 inmates may face murder charges.
The Negombo Prison clash has taken a disturbing new turn after investigators revealed that 14 people died from gunshot wounds, although police and STF officers reportedly did not fire.
Evidence presented in court has exposed a series of highly sensitive and brutal details surrounding the violence. Investigators now suspect that what initially appeared to be a spontaneous confrontation may have been an organised attack.
Regular prison officers stationed at Negombo reportedly escaped without injury. According to information revealed during the investigation, inmates protected those officers and escorted them safely out of the prison.
Instead, the attackers allegedly targeted officers attached to the Prison Police Unit at Prison Headquarters in Colombo.
Investigators found that only two of the officers killed or seriously injured were regular Negombo Prison personnel. The remaining victims belonged to the emergency tactical force deployed from Colombo.
Negombo Prison Clash Reveals Extreme Violence
Post-mortem findings reportedly showed that several officers suffered exceptionally brutal injuries.
Investigators said attackers crushed the victims’ heads and mutilated their genital areas. In one case, a severed organ was allegedly placed on the prison superintendent’s table.
Reports also stated that attackers inserted broom handles and pieces of poles into some victims’ bodies.
Meanwhile, post-mortem examinations confirmed that 14 people died from gunshot injuries.
However, authorities said neither police officers nor Special Task Force personnel fired their weapons during the confrontation. The officers who entered the prison also reportedly carried no firearms.
This has created a central mystery for investigators: who fired the shots?
Officials suspect that inmates may have obtained firearms during the unrest and used them inside the prison.
The Criminal Investigation Department has taken custody of 22 repeater guns and 10 T56 assault rifles. Investigators have requested ballistic reports to determine whether any of those weapons fired the fatal rounds.
An officer who had reportedly been suffering from dengue still reported for duty and discharged a shot near the prison gate. Reports now indicate that the officer is facing death threats.
Suspected Organiser Suresh Remains Alive
Investigators have also clarified confusion surrounding a suspect known as “Suresh.”
The man suspected of planning the violence remains alive. He has reportedly suffered a spinal injury.
Authorities said the person named Suresh who died at Agunukolapelessa Prison was a different individual.
Police Headquarters has also announced plans to take legal action against nearly 200 inmates. Authorities expect to file murder charges connected to the killing of eight prison officers inside Negombo Prison.
The violence occurred on July 5 and 6.
Eight officers, including a jailer, died during the incident. The total death toll from the Negombo Prison clash reached 28.
Nearly 100 other people suffered serious injuries and required hospital treatment.
According to the CID investigation, 13 major criminals allegedly organised the attack. Those named in connection with the planning include “Suresh” and “Burumuna.”
Investigators are reviewing prison surveillance footage to identify suspects accurately. Several teams have also begun collecting evidence linked to the killings and the wider disturbance.
Police Probe How Inmates Obtained Firearms
Police have focused particular attention on how prisoners gained access to guns and other lethal weapons.
Deputy Inspector General Vanda Kodituwakku, who oversees the crime division, said authorities had launched a separate investigation into security at the Negombo Prison armoury.
Investigators will examine whether inmates removed weapons from the armoury during the unrest or obtained them through another route.
Kodituwakku also said security forces had recently seized about 10,804 firearms illegally brought into Sri Lanka through sea routes.
The large number of illegal weapons has raised further concerns about their possible circulation among organised criminal groups.
Authorities currently hold organised criminals in 16 prisons across the country.
Following the Negombo incident, the Ministry of Justice and the Prisons Department have moved to strengthen security across the prison system.
However, major questions remain unanswered. Investigators must still determine who fired the shots that killed 14 people, how the firearms entered inmates’ hands and whether the violence formed part of a carefully planned attack.
