Prison Officer Who Opened Fire Transferred Temporarily to Pallekele Prison

17-Jul-2026

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The prison officer who opened fire to bring the situation under control during the recent unrest at the Negombo Prison has been temporarily transferred to the Pallekele Prison pending investigations, Commissioner of Prisons and Media Spokesperson A.C. Gajanayake said.

Elaborating on the incident, he said that during the clashes at the Negombo Prison on July 5 and 6, a total of 31 persons, comprising 10 prison officers and 21 inmates who sustained critical injuries, lost their lives. In addition, several prison officers and inmates continue to receive treatment at the Negombo District General Hospital and the National Hospital of Colombo.

He said that during the riot on July 6, when inmates damaged the prison's main entrance, the prison officer concerned opened fire in an attempt to bring the situation under control. The officer has now been transferred to the Pallekele Prison with immediate effect on a temporary basis to facilitate the ongoing investigations.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the inmates had allegedly launched a violent assault on prison officers with the apparent intention of causing fatalities. It has been reported that the officer resorted to opening fire to contain the situation and protect the lives of fellow prison officers.

Special investigations are currently under way to determine whether the officer used his firearm in accordance with the provisions of the Prisons Ordinance and whether his actions were within the scope of the authority vested in him, the Commissioner added.