A disturbance at Magazine Prison on Thursday night resulted in one fatality and 11 injuries, with Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara stating that authorities did not use live ammunition during the response.
Unrest at Magazine Prison escalated Thursday night, leaving one person dead and 11 others injured, according to Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara. The minister stated that authorities brought the situation under control without firing live rounds during the operation.
The minister indicated that a post-mortem examination would be necessary to establish the cause of death, given that live ammunition was not discharged by security personnel. He attributed the initial trigger to the discovery of a package containing narcotics and a subsequent arrest of an inmate.
The disturbance involved approximately 40 inmates and prompted authorities to deploy Police and Special Task Force personnel to provide external security. The incident has led prison officials to suspend visitor access to the facility as a precautionary measure. The minister characterized the incident as a manifestation of inmate resistance to the government's broader anti-narcotics enforcement efforts.
