Magazine prison riots due to crackdown on drugs, Rs.7.5mn damage

25 January 2012 10:26 am Views - 4462

Prison officials said that the main cause for the riots which took place at the Magazine remand prison was due to the crackdown on drugs being smuggled into the prison through meals brought from outside.

Remand prisoners are allowed by prison authorities to get meals from outside. A prison officer of the Magazine remand prison said that prisoners who were involved in the riot on Tuesday were in remand for narcotic related offences.

Under the leadership of the new Superintendent of Prisons (SP) the authorities launched a massive crackdown and even checked their lunch packets brought to them by their family members.

The new Superintendent was brought to the Magazine remand prison for his excellent record during his tenure at the Kalutara Prison.

The damage due to the riots is said to be worth Rs.7.5 million.

Meanwhile the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) is conducting investigations into the riots as they had damaged state property. A probe into the clash and the protest has been initiated by the Prisons Department. (Supun Dias)