Riot in Welikada prison, 50 policemen injured

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 November 2010, 09:34 GMT]
A group of policemen Sunday morning armed with court order made a surprise raid in the Welikada jail to search the prisoners for drugs and mobile phones. They were attacked by prisoners with stones. Prisoners did not allow the policemen accompanied by prison officials to enter their cells but pelted stones on them. At least forty-five policemen including Special Task Force personnel have been admitted to the Colombo national hospital with injuries.

Media sources in Colombo said about 4000 prisoners were removed from their cells for a surprise drug raid that was conducted by about 500 police and prison officers who were later attacked by the prisoners.

Additional policemen were rushed to the prison to bring the situation under control.

According to Dr. Hector Weerasinghe, Director of National Hospital, 46 police officers and 2 prison officers have been admitted to the National Hospital and are currently being treated for various injures sustained to head, chest and abdomen in the attack and medical investigations are being carried out to determine whether there are any serious internal injures.