India officials visit Welikada prison to verify welfare of Indian inmates

Colombo: Indian officials have visited Sri Lanka’s main Welikada prison to inquire about the welfare of Indian prisoners after last week’s riot that left 27 inmates dead and over 40 injured. “Our consular officials on Monday visited the Indian prisoners,” an Indian High Commission spokesperson said on Tuesday. He said that 33 convicted and five under trial Indian prisoners were present at Welikada jail at the time of violence on Friday.  In the riot, 27 inmates were killed and 42 others, including prison officials and troops, were injured. Sri Lanka authorities on Saturday confirmed that all Indian and foreign prisoners were not affected by the riot. The inmates angered by a search for drugs and contraband clashed with Special Task Force resulting in violence. The opposition has called for an investigation into the riot claiming that officials had erred in allowing the entry of armed troops into the prison. PTI