About 50 prisoners are currently rioting at the Welikada Prison. Most of the rioters are inmates who are either on death row or life sentences for the crimes they have committed, The Morning learns.
The protests began about a month ago when some prisoners climbed to the roof tops of the Welikada Prisons and has now progressed into riots with prison guards being called in to control the situation.
Sources told The Morning that the prisoners have now reached the breaking point and are currently creating havoc within the Welikada prison complex, and prisons guards have been called with batons and other restraint equipment.
The prisoners have said that they will not back down, quoting that people like Duminda Silva served just 5 years in prison, whereas some inmates have been locked up for over 15 years, and have called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to intervene into the matter urgently.
Photos by Pradeep Dambarage
Photos by Pradeep Dambarage