Six killed in riot after COVID spread in JAIl : Srilanka

 At least six people have been killed in riots at a Sri Lankan prison.

Prisoners have been protesting and the riot started in the protest.

As the coronavirus outbreak at Mahara Prison escalated, inmates demonstrated that they should be released on bail and demand more services. A similar number of deaths and injuries were reported in clashes between inmates and prison guards. About 1,000 people have been confirmed infected with coronavirus in Sri Lankan prisons so far.

According to police spokesman Ajit Rohna, security personnel at the jail "used force to control the situation." According to media reports, security forces opened fire after the riots broke out. The news was published quoting the locals who saw a "big fire" in the prison premises. The injured were taken to a local hospital.


Prisoners have been protesting for eight days at the Agunakolapalassa prison. They claim that the prison where they are kept is in a bad condition. According to human rights groups, 26,000 people are being held in Sri Lanka's prisons with a capacity of 10,000.