Ex-LTTE cadres detained at the Magazine Prison in Colombo launched a hunger strike this morning urging the authorities to release them, the Prisons Department said.

Prisons Commissioner General Rohana Pushpakumara said there were 201 ex-LTTE cadres being detained at the prison and nearly 150 of them were refusing to take their food and were remaining inside their cells.

He said he had received a letter signed by the inmates to be handed over to President Maitripala Sirisena asking that they be released.

Mr. Pushpakumara said he would hand it over it to the President. (Darshana Sanjeewa)