Courtesy Outlook India

He belonged to Kerala but has been living in Chennai with his family for over 40 years

An Indian national is among those killed in the riots that tore through Sri Lanka’s Negombo Prison over the weekend, with the death toll climbing to 28 by Wednesday in what is being described as one of the most gruesome episodes of prison violence in the island’s history.

The victim has been identified as Unnikrishnan S., aged 73, according to official sources in Colombo who spoke to The Hindu. He belonged to Kerala but has been living in Chennai with his family for over 40 years. Unnithan arrived in Sri Lanka on March 2 and was arrested for allegedly possessing ganja. He was later lodged in the Negombo prison, where he died during the riots, the newspaper wrote.

The High Commission of India has not issued a formal public statement, though sources confirmed that a note verbale regarding the incident had been sent to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Indian nationals held at Negombo Prison, located roughly 35 kilometres north of Colombo, were subsequently transferred to other facilities.

The riots began on Sunday, after some inmates reportedly tipped off prison authorities about a drug operation inside the facility, triggering a clash between rival gangs that spiralled beyond control. Nearly 1,200 prisoners were transferred out of Negombo in the aftermath. Over 100 people were injured, and one prison officer later died of serious wounds, contributing to the rising toll.

Torture allegations follow transfers

Concerns have since grown over the treatment of inmates moved to other facilities. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka said it received information on Tuesday evening that several prisoners transferred to Angunakolapelessa, Boosa, Batticaloa, Dumbara, Jaffna and Welikada had been subjected to torture and ill-treatment, and that one inmate had died in the custody of Welikada prison officials.

The Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners, an advocacy network, separately flagged reports of assault and severe physical torture. A senior government official, speaking anonymously given the sensitivity of the situation, told The Hindu the reports were being taken seriously, without confirming or denying the allegations.

Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara acknowledged longstanding problems in the country’s prison system and called on all parties to work together to prevent such tragedies from recurring. Sri Lanka’s prisons have long faced acute overcrowding and resource shortages. A riot at Mahara Prison in 2020 left eleven dead, while a 2012 disturbance at Welikada ended with police fatally shooting 27 inmates.