One inmate had died while two inmates and two Prison Officers were injured when Prisons Officer used minimum force to thwart an attempt made by five inmates, who were under quarantine at the Bogambara Old Prison to escape last midnight, Prisons Commissioner Thushara Upuldeniya said today.

Addressing media, he said the Prisons Officer had opened fire to thwart the attempt made by the inmates who had broken the iron bars of the prison cell and then attempted to escape by climbing on top of a building and then over the wall of the prison.

He said the injured inmates and Prisons officers had been admitted to the Kandy General Hospital.

“However, one inmate has escaped and Police and Prisons Officers are conducting investigations to arrest the escapee.

“Among those four are under remand custody over allegations of drug smuggling. These inmates have been engaged in the recent protest carried out at the Bogambara Prison,” he said.

Mr Upuldeniya said an investigation was carried out by a Prison Superintendent in addition to the Police investigations into the incident. (Ajith Siriwardana)