Prisons Department says an investigation has been launched regarding the death of an inmate following a tense situation at the Monaragala Prison.

Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya stated that an inmate of the Monragala Prison had behaved in a violent manner yesterday morning (03) and that a clash had ensued when prison guards had attempted to control the situation.

He said that the officers had then taken actions to control the inmate, who had sustained injuries in the process. However, he had succumbed to injuries after being admitted to the Monaragala Hospital.

“The inmate, Gamage Nilantha, had behaved in a violent manner and had assaulted a prison officer. The prison officer has been admitted to the Monaragala Hospital with injuries,” Upuldeniya said.

The Commissioner General said that the prison officers had to use force to control him due to the inmate continuing his violent behavior while the suspect was also injured and hospitalized.

“Unfortunately the inmate passed away at the Monaragala Hospital. And with this we have launched investigations,” he said.

However, he claimed that certain inmates at the prison who are connected to drug rackets had attempted to cause a riot within the prison and that the deceased inmate had been imprisoned on previous occasions in connection with drug use and robberies. 

Nevertheless necessary legal action will be initiated if any of the officers are found to have abused power or if there was an excessive use of force with regard to this incident, Thushara Upuldeniya added.

Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel had reportedly been deployed to control the tense situation within the prison in the wake of the incident. 

The body of the deceased inmate, who is a resident of Ampara, has been placed at the Monaragala Hospital.