• Roadblocks placed to check vehicles en route to centre 

Following the frequent tense situations reported at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre, the authorities have taken several steps to prevent clashes among the inmates of the centre.

Noting this, the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, Major General Darshana Hettiarachchi, told The Daily Morning: “We have taken a large number of measures to deal with this situation. For example, when it comes to the inmates that come to the centre for rehabilitation repeatedly, we have decided that we will not be accepting them anymore because they are more likely to cause issues. There are also those who have cases against them with regard to other crimes such as rape or murder but are admitted to the centre based on the reason that they are taking drugs. We will not be accepting them anymore. In addition, we have received information that the parents of certain inmates bring in to the centre various unpermitted substances such as tobacco. In order to prevent it, we have taken steps to place roadblocks and to check the relevant vehicles on their way to the centre.”

According to Hettiarachchi, for the time being, there are no reports of outsiders bringing drugs into the centre.

With regard to the Justice, Prison Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms Ministry’s probe, he explained that while the investigations conducted at the ministry level involved the questioning of the relevant officials and inmates, certain other steps also had to be taken as precautions. However, he added that he has not received the findings of the ministry-led probe. Several attempts to contact Ministry Secretary M.N. Ranasinghe proved futile.

Following the clashes at the centre earlier this year, which resulted in the escape of a number of inmates, several probes were launched. One serious allegation that was raised in the context of these probes is that certain inmates were attempting to establish their dominance within the centre. The same allegation was raised by certain inmates who had spoken to an online programme. They claimed that they had to deal with threats and pressure from certain inmates.

In addition, the type and number of inmates housed at the centre also became a topic of discussion recently, with certain parties claiming that the Yukthiya (Justice) anti-drug and anti-organised crime operation has resulted in the arrest and detention of a large number of drug users, including those who have already been rehabilitated.