Maligakanda breakout:

Three escapees arrested

Sarath MALALASEKERA

Colombo DIG H.M.D. Herath yesterday deployed a special police squad to trace the prisoners who escaped from the Maligakanda Magistrate Court cell on Monday.

Three suspects who escaped were arrested last afternoon. Two of the suspects were arrested while travelling in a three wheeler near the Maradana junction. Eight more suspects are to be arrested, DIG said.

A special police squad led by an ASP is conducting investigations to ascertain whether any of the Prison officers were involved in the escape of the prisoners and how they broke open the iron net inside the cell, Colombo DIG said.

Most of the suspects who escaped from the Court remand cell are charged with trafficking hard drugs.

Two of them are serving life sentences. Prison Media Spokesman Commissioner Kenneth Fernando is also conducting a separate investigation into the prison escape.

Five prison guards have been interdicted.