5 inmates still at large after Sri Lankan prison riot in which 27 died

By Bharatha Mallawarachi

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan police are still hunting for five prisoners who escaped last week during a prison riot in which 27 inmates died, officials said Tuesday.

Six other escaped prisoners were captured earlier, police said.

Prison Commissioner Gamini Kulathunga said Welikada Prison in Colombo has returned to normal after the shootout last Friday in which 27 inmates were killed and 42 other people were wounded, including prisoners, police commandoes, army troops and a passer-by.

Officials say the clash erupted when prisoners attacked a team of police commandoes that entered the prison to search for smuggled drugs and cellphones. The prisoners armed themselves by breaking into the armoury, they said.

The country’s main opposition party has called the clash a “cold-blooded massacre” of prisoners and demanded a parliamentary investigation.

The prison houses 3,621 inmates, and regular searches are carried out by officials for smuggled objects, prison reforms minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera said.

He said police commandoes were summoned to assist with the search on Friday after prison officials had to call off three previous searches because of resistance from prisoners.

Prison violence is fairly common in Sri Lanka. Human rights groups say at least two people died after being beaten by guards during a prison revolt in June. Another clash earlier this year at Magazine Prison, located next to Welikada, injured 28 inmates and guards.

08:04ET 13-11-12