CID Launches Massive Investigation Into Sri Lanka's Negombo Prison Carnage

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has deployed three special teams to investigate the deadly clash that erupted between two groups linked to drug trafficking and organized crime inside the Negombo Prison.

Police said the teams have begun recording statements from injured inmates and prison officers who are currently receiving treatment in hospital as part of the ongoing investigation.

A team of CID officers visited the Negombo Prison this morning and commenced an extensive inquiry into the incident.

The death toll from the violence has now risen to 26, according to officials. Among those killed are seven prison officers.

Meanwhile, Prisons Spokesman A.C. Gajanayake said that Police Special Task Force personnel and police officers continue to be deployed to provide external security at the Negombo Prison.

The spokesman stated that the situation has now been brought completely under control, while security measures within the prison have also been significantly strengthened.

The Prisons Department further confirmed that nearly 700 inmates have been transferred from the Negombo Prison to other correctional facilities following the deadly unrest.

The violent incident, believed to have originated from tensions between rival groups linked to organized crime and drug trafficking, has triggered one of the largest prison investigations in recent years, with authorities now focusing on establishing the circumstances that led to the deadly confrontation and identifying those responsible.