Mahara Prison Unrest Contained; Major Damage Reported

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Department of Prisons says the unrest among inmates at Mahara Prison has now been brought completely under control.

Prisons Department Spokesperson A.C. Gajanayake stated that security has been reinforced both inside and outside the prison with the deployment of additional personnel, including officers from the Police Special Task Force (STF).

Speaking to the media, Gajanayake said the unrest began yesterday when a group of inmates attempted to breach a section of the prison by attacking a temporary metal-sheet barrier surrounding a proposed new administrative building. He said the inmates also attempted to damage the prison's main gate, and the unrest continued until this morning.

According to the Prisons Spokesperson, prison officials, together with the Police, STF, and members of the Sri Lanka Army, Navy, and Air Force, jointly carried out an operation that restored order without further escalation.

He noted that the cause of the unrest has not yet been determined and is currently under investigation.

Gajanayake also appealed to the relatives of inmates to remain calm, assuring them that there is no need for unnecessary concern.

He further said that no decision has yet been made regarding the transfer of inmates to other prisons.

The Prison Department Spokesperson added that the unrest caused extensive damage to prison property. 

He said the prison kitchen, including boilers and cooking equipment, was destroyed and set on fire, while the rehabilitation building and all its equipment were also damaged.

In addition, he said the main administrative office and the prison hospital sustained significant damage. Workshops and facilities used for inmate rehabilitation programmes, including tailoring, carpentry, and other vocational training activities, were also destroyed.