Prisoners at war
It all began on Friday (9) afternoon, with heavily armed Special Task Force (STF) personnel in search of banned items such as mobile phones, tobacco, alcohol, narcotics, etc among prisoners serving life and long sentences at Welikada jail.
Some of the inmates were firing from the roof of the prisons while others fired from the cover of the buildings they were sheltering in.
By Damith Wickremasekara and Skandha Gunasekara-Sunday, November 11, 2012
= 27 dead, 59 wounded as STF search operation misfires
= Inmates pushed to the wall lay siege to Welikada with weapons stolen from the armoury
= Inmates pushed to the wall lay siege to Welikada with weapons stolen from the armoury
It all began on Friday (9) afternoon, with heavily armed Special Task Force (STF) personnel in search of banned items such as mobile phones, tobacco, alcohol, narcotics, etc among prisoners serving life and long sentences at Welikada jail.
The search operation involving more than 200 STF personnel started around 2.00 pm from Ward ‘L’ which accommodates remand as well as convicted prisoners. It began smoothly without incident, until the STF moved towards the Chapel Block housing prisoners on death row.
The STF Commandant being rushed for emergency medical attention after being shot in the abdomen
According to inmates and prison officials, the clash erupted when the STF sought to tie the prisoners’ hands, which led to a heated standoff, and the rest is now known.
“When the situation got out of control, the STF fired tear gas into the cells and wards, when all hell broke loose with the prisoners resisting the STF,” a prisoner told the Sunday Times.
In the heightening chaos, inmates broke through one of the doors, into the prison’s armoury, and armed themselves, when the STF personnel opted to a tactical withdrawal. The standoff that started on the ground, soon reached roof level, as the prisoners virtually took over the entire jail, and were exchanging gunfire with the STF and military personnel who had surrounded the complex.
Some of the inmates were firing from the roof of the prisons while others fired from the cover of the buildings they were sheltering in.
As the clashes intensified, another police party led by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Anura Senanayake arrived at the scene, but was prevented by Prison officials from entering the premises, for fear of aggravating the situation.
Outside the prison, we witnessed the firing taking place, while vehicles and the public were still continuing to move along Baseline Road opposite the prisons. It was more than an hour after the clashes broke out that the road was sealed off.
Now, more than 250 STF personnel had surrounded the prison complex.�Some 50 prisoners were seen on the roof of the prison, with three of them brandishing weapons and firing at random into the air, and onto the main road.
Among those firing were later identified as former army personnel now serving prison terms.�An Army patrol including four motorcycles and a jeep arrived at that moment and tried entering the prison.
However, the prison guards outside the prison gates prevented the Army personnel from entering, as the guards felt they could handle the situation, while the involvement of the army would make things worse.
As the Army patrol left the scene, some of the prisoners descended from the roof and the situation seemed to calm down a little, at which point, police opened two lanes of Baseline Road to traffic.
As the Army patrol left the scene, some of the prisoners descended from the roof and the situation seemed to calm down a little, at which point, police opened two lanes of Baseline Road to traffic.
Traffic flow continued for five minutes, when gunfire erupted through the main gate, aimed at the traffic and civilians on the road. The STF present outside, countered with a volley of bullets aimed at the Magazine main entrance. At this point, around 50 prisoners opened the main entrance gate from the inside. The prison guards guarding the gate had vacated the position.
Commandos prepare for an assault while prison guards try to talk prisoners down from the rooftop
The prisoners and the STF exchanged fire for a further 15 minutes, with some prisoners continuing to shoot from the rooftop. Silence followed this exchange of fire. When all seemed calm, a three-wheeler with around six prisoners shot out of the main entrance firing. Instantly, the STF returned fire killing five of them.
A weapon grabbed from the STF was found inside the three-wheeler.
A weapon grabbed from the STF was found inside the three-wheeler.
Once the gunfire subsided, the prison’s power supply was cut off and the area was cloaked in darkness. A cry for help could be heard from the downed three-wheeler, but nothing could be done, as firing continued from within the prison. Heavy firing continued between the two groups for a further 15 minutes.
