Committee appointed to investigate Sri Lanka’s Negombo Prison clash

A Committee of Inquiry has been appointed to investigate the unrest at Sri Lanka’s Negombo Prison on July 5 and 6, 2026.

The Committee of Inquiry was appointed today (July 07) by Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, with Cabinet approval, to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the unrest and report on the circumstances that led to the incident.

The committee is chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge Priyantha Fernando.

Its other members are Additional Solicitor General and President’s Counsel Milinda Gunatilake and President’s Counsel Mohan Weerakoon.

Senior Assistant Secretary to the President K.L.D. Asela has been appointed Secretary / Convener of the Committee of Inquiry.

Meanwhile, earlier today, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said several investigations are being carried out into the incident.

He made the statement while responding to questions raised by journalists at the media briefing held to announce Cabinet decisions at the Department of Government Information.

The Commissioner General of Prisons was also present at the media briefing. Journalists asked whether the Department of Prisons had received any intelligence information before the incident.

Commissioner General of Prisons (Covering Duties), Prasad Hemantha Kumara, said no such intelligence information had been received.

Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the Cabinet decided yesterday (July 06) to appoint a three-member committee to investigate the incident.

He said the committee would include a retired Supreme Court judge, an official from the Attorney General’s Department and a senior attorney-at-law.

The Minister said the Negombo Police and the Colombo Crimes Division are also carrying out a separate investigation.

He added that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is conducting another investigation, while the Department of Prisons is also carrying out its own inquiry.

Minister Dr. Jayatissa said the full picture of the incident will be revealed after all these reports are completed.

Explaining the situation, Prisons Commissioner General Prasad Hemantha Kumara said officers had been deployed in a way that would not create unrest among inmates.

He said it was because such officers had been deployed that the damage was reduced.

According to him, the situation on July 05, 2026, had been completely brought under control by evening.

The inmates had been sent back to the wards and locked in, while food and drinks had also been provided.

However, the following morning, July 06, 2026, was a Monday, when court-related duties are usually carried out.

The Commissioner General said officers entered the area after providing food to begin those duties.

He said it has now been found that some inmates had consumed drugs and were in a disturbed state of mind at that time.

A clash then broke out among the inmates, and prison officers entered the area to calm the situation, he said.

The Commissioner General also said all measures had been taken to ensure the security of the prison premises.

He claimed that inmates who had used narcotic tablets were in a disturbed state of mind, and said women had also used them.

He further said the inmates had made various allegations after consuming those substances.

Commenting on claims linked to dengue treatment, he said doctors are available at the prison and that the usual procedures had been followed to provide the required treatment.

He said the officers on duty risked their lives to stop the incident and bring it under control.

The Commissioner General also explained the shooting carried out by security forces during the incident on July 06, 2026.

He said the inmates had first broken the iron door inside the prison and then moved towards the wooden door.

According to him, prisons usually have two main doors: an iron door first, followed by a wooden door.

He said valuable equipment was located between the iron door and the wooden door.

The Commissioner General said if the inmates had broken the wooden door and come outside, the situation could have become impossible to control.

He said the damage that could have been caused could not be estimated.

He also said that after breaking the iron door, the inmates attacked prison officers who were nearby.

A large number of prison officers had already been trapped inside among the inmates after entering the area to stop the clash and rescue others, he said.

The Commissioner General said the inmates then broke the iron door and came out.

He said the officers fired through the wooden door to control the situation.

He added that the shooting was the only step that could be taken at that time to protect the prison officers and prevent inmates from coming out and escaping.

The Commissioner General said a major disaster could have happened if the officers had not acted while risking their own lives.