Riot in Anuradhapura jail, several prisoners feared killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 January 2011, 15:41 GMT]
One woman prisoner had been killed and several injured in a clash between jail guards and prisoners inside the Anuradhapura prison Monday evening following a fast by a group of prisoners demanding better facilities. But unconfirmed reports reached Colombo media that several more prisoners were feared killed when jail guards opened fire against rioting prisoners to bring the tense situation under control. Tamil sources said that the fate of Tamil detainees in the prison was not known as no one was allowed to enter the prison till Monday night.

Another source said of the injured warded in the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital include nine prison officials and eleven prisoners.

A group of over 50 remand prisoners began a fast on Sunday evening climbing on the roof of the prison demanding better facilities for them inside prison, sources said.