Prisoners attack Police

Sarath Malalasekera

*Over 2,000 convicts join fray

*Injured cops transferred to CNH

*Countrywide prisons searched

Forty-five policemen attached to the Colombo Division were injured following an attack by several convicted prisoners of the ‘Chapel Ward’ at the Welikada Prison yesterday morning. Police Media Spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody said the police team raided the Welikada Prison Chapel ward yesterday morning after obtaining a warrant from the Colombo Magistrate to search for drugs and illegal items hidden in the ward.

This was part of a search of all prisons in the country following reports that there was a thriving drug business in operation within prison walls.

There were over 2,000 convicted prisoners in the Chapel ward during the police raid.

The injured policemen have been transferred to the Colombo National Hospital for immediate treatment, SP Jayakody said. A full-scale inquiry has been conducted by a special police team consisting of Colombo DIG H M D Herath and Colombo Crime Division (CCD) DIG Anura Senanayake.

The police team had visited the Colombo National Hospital to obtain statements from the policemen warded at the Hospital. Colombo National Hospital Director Dr Hector Weerasinghe said that 45 policemen had been brought to the hospital with injuries.

They told the hospital authorities that prisoners at the Welikada prison attacked them while attempting to conduct a search inside the ward.

After investigations are completed, the prisoners responsible for the attack will be arrested, SP Jayakody said.