A former inmate released by court order has made detailed allegations of a coordinated assault targeting specific prisoners at Welikada Magazine Prison, claiming officers and civilians in plain clothes systematically beat selected detainees with weapons.

A former prisoner has come forward with allegations of a targeted attack inside Welikada Magazine Prison, providing an eyewitness account of what he describes as a coordinated assault on select inmates. Speaking at a media briefing organized by the Committee for the Protection of Prisoners' Rights, Navodya Dilshan Seneviratne claimed he witnessed the incident while detained in the E Cell Ward since December 9, 2024, on charges related to crystal methamphetamine possession.

According to Seneviratne's account, a large group comprising prison officers and individuals dressed in civilian clothing entered the ward carrying poles and iron bars. He alleged they proceeded methodically through the cells, apparently working from a predetermined list of targeted inmates. He claimed approximately 45 prisoners were housed in the ward at the time, but only a select group was removed and subjected to severe beatings. Among those allegedly assaulted were fellow detainees identified as Sampath and Asman, with whom Seneviratne said he shared a cell.

Seneviratne described survival tactics and ongoing mistreatment, claiming he smeared blood from an injured cellmate over himself to avoid further violence. He further alleged that injured prisoners transported to the prison hospital continued to face abuse, including being kicked and stepped on while receiving medical care. He stated that Asman subsequently died, though medical attention was reportedly delayed for the most seriously injured inmates.

When asked whether the incident arose from disputes between officers and inmates or among prisoners themselves, Seneviratne insisted the violence was deliberately targeted rather than spontaneous. He noted that some officers known to maintain friendly relations with prisoners participated in the assault. The Department of Prisons declined to comment directly on the allegations, with Media Spokesman Senaka Palletenna citing ongoing legal proceedings. The department confirmed an internal institutional inquiry is underway.