The inmates who were involved in the violent clash at Negombo Prison had managed to obtain weapons and had broken through the iron gate before emerging from the prison compound, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said in Parliament today (07).
The Minister said the government had not underestimated the seriousness of the incident at any stage.
He stated that the group involved in the unrest had intended to disrupt the mechanism established to prevent narcotics and other illegal items from entering the prison.
He further revealed that two unarmed prison officers were initially attacked, prompting other officers to rush to the scene in an attempt to rescue them.
According to the Minister, the majority of the prison officers who lost their lives were brutally assaulted with bricks and poles during the violence.
