By Ruwan Weerakoon
(Lanka-e-News -2026.July.07, 9.30 PM) A drug-trafficking dispute between rival prison gangs has spiralled into one of Sri Lanka's deadliest custodial disasters in over a decade, with official tolls at Negombo Prison now 26 dead.
What happened
The violence began on Sunday afternoon as a clash between two inmate factions, killing two and injuring dozens. Prison officers restored order by midnight, but the truce collapsed on Monday morning when a second confrontation erupted during breakfast distribution — this time between inmates and the officers themselves. Reports of firearms falling into inmates' hands mark a sharp escalation from a factional brawl to an armed confrontation with the state.
Casualty figures remain unsettled and should be treated cautiously. sourced reports place the toll at 26, including 7 prison officers.
The trigger
Prison sources trace the unrest to a leak: information about a drug-trafficking operation inside the prison reaching officials, provoking retaliation from the implicated faction against those believed responsible for the leak. The alleged ringleader, identified in some reports as Katuwelle Gama Suresh Pushpakumara — described as a close associate of the underworld figure known as "Booru Moona" — remains inside the prison, reportedly injured, with officials unable to extract him for treatment given the security situation. His name and role should carry an unverified-allegation caveat pending official confirmation, given the defamation exposure of naming an identified suspect as a ringleader before charges are filed.
The response
The Police, the Special Task Force, and the Army were deployed as the situation deteriorated on Monday. Authorities cut water supply to the facility to help regain control, and 734 inmates were reportedly transferred to other Prison Camps. A Prisons Department spokesperson said a special investigation team has been constituted, and the Commissioner General has appointed a probe committee. The Subject Minister has called for a full report.
Regarding the incident in Negombo Prison, the Minister of Justice said in Parliament today (07)
"Basically, 07 officers and 19 inmates have died in this unfortunate incident. On the morning of 2027.07.05, a problem first arose between two groups of inmates in the Negombo Prison. This is not a conflict between inmates and officers. 35 inmates were injured and two died there. At that time, the problem was resolved by intervening. The next morning, while the inmates were being fed and prepared to be taken to court, the conflict between the two groups suddenly started again.
They first broke and destroyed the CCTV camera system. There is a Body Scanner worth millions, which is also broken and destroyed. This is being done by an organized group. We believe that it is because of the difficulty in bringing drugs and illegal things into the prison. All these things can be decided after investigations.
First, unarmed officers were attacked. The dead officers died in a very inhumane manner. They were beaten with bricks and sticks. If these people had broken through the iron door and come out, it would have been even more devastating. Several weapons have also been found among the inmates. Investigations will reveal whether they were taken from the weapons store or were snatched by beating. An autopsy is currently being conducted on how the inmates died.
Later, we took steps to safely transfer 734 people who were the cause of this conflict to other prisons. The situation has calmed down by now."
(The 7 prison officers who died in the clash are shown in the photos.)
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by (2026-07-07 16:33:50)
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