Negombo Prison Clash: Two More Prison Officers Succumb to Injuries

16-Jul-2026

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Two more prison officers, who had been receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka in Colombo after sustaining critical injuries in the recent clash at the Negombo Prison, have succumbed to their injuries.

With their deaths, the total number of fatalities resulting from the incident has risen to 31.

The deceased officers, aged 25 and 39, were residents of Ambalantota and Lunugamwehera. One officer died on July 13, while the other passed away on July 14. Their deaths have increased the number of prison officers killed in the incident to 10.

One of the deceased officers, P.D. Chandika Lashan Gunawardena of the Prisons Police Special Intelligence Unit, is survived by his seven-year-old son, who suffers from a heart ailment. Earlier, his wife had made an emotional appeal through the media, stating that a substantial amount of money was required to save the child's life.

Earlier, 21 inmates had lost their lives during the violence that erupted inside the Negombo Prison on July 5 and 6.

Meanwhile, several injured prison officers and inmates continue to receive treatment at the National Hospital in Colombo and the Negombo District General Hospital. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is conducting an extensive investigation into the incident.