By The Pulseline News Desk
The recent clash at the Welikada Magazine Prison has taken a dramatic turn, with a former inmate claiming that prison officers and individuals in civilian clothing carried out a targeted assault on a group of prisoners before one inmate died.
Speaking at a media briefing organised in Colombo by the Committee for the Protection of Prisoners’ Rights, former inmate Navodya Dilshan Seneviratne has said he was inside the prison when the incident had occurred and witnessed what he described as a violent operation targeting specific inmates.
Seneviratne, who was released following a court order, has said he had been detained at Welikada Magazine Prison since 9 December 2024 in connection with a case involving 50 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as “Ice”. He has said he had been held in the E Cell Ward throughout his detention.
According to his account, a large group had entered the ward carrying poles, iron bars and other objects while calling out the names of particular inmates.
He has alleged that the group had moved from cell to cell and forcibly removed several prisoners, including inmates he identified as Sampath and Asman.
Seneviratne has said he shared a cell with Asman and claimed it became apparent that the operation was aimed at a predetermined group of prisoners rather than being an indiscriminate confrontation involving all inmates.
He has alleged that prison officers, accompanied by several people dressed in civilian clothing, entered the cell and assaulted prisoners with poles and iron bars.
“There were around 45 inmates in the ward, but only a selected group was taken,” he has claimed, alleging that 11 inmates from his section were specifically targeted.
‘I pretended to be dead’
Among the most serious allegations made at the briefing was Seneviratne’s claim that he had survived the assault by pretending to be dead.
He has said he had smeared the blood of an injured fellow inmate over his body and remained motionless as those carrying out the assault moved through the cell.
According to Seneviratne, some prisoners were subsequently returned to the ward, while Asman was subjected to what he described as an especially severe beating.
The allegations did not end at the prison cells.
Seneviratne has claimed that injured inmates were subsequently taken to the prison hospital, where they were allegedly subjected to further rough treatment.
He has alleged that some injured prisoners were kicked or stepped on while lying on the floor, claiming that Asman, Sampath and he himself were among those subjected to such treatment.
He has further claimed that medical attention was not initially directed towards those he believed were most seriously injured.
According to his account, treatment was first provided to him despite what he described as relatively minor visible injuries.
Death of inmate
Seneviratne has said that after he and other inmates were transferred to another ward, they could hear fellow prisoners crying out in pain.
He has claimed that they were informed sometime later that Asman had died.
The former inmate has also rejected suggestions that the incident may have resulted from an ongoing dispute between prison officers and inmates.
He has maintained that there had been no such confrontation before the incident and alleged that even prison officers who had previously maintained friendly relations with inmates participated in the assault.
He has further claimed that other prisoners were removed from their cells and subsequently returned, while the group from his section was allegedly singled out.
Seneviratne has also provided details of the prison routine, stating that cells were generally locked at around 5.30 p.m., although some sections could remain open for longer under certain circumstances.
Prisons Dept declines comment
The allegations have emerged while legal proceedings relating to the incident are before the courts.
When contacted for a response, the Department of Prisons has declined to comment directly on the claims.
Prisons Department Media Spokesman Senaka Palletenna has said it would be inappropriate for the Department to comment while court proceedings were ongoing.
However, he has confirmed that an internal institutional inquiry into the incident was also underway.
The allegations made by the former inmate have therefore added another layer to the investigation into what transpired inside the Welikada Magazine Prison.
While Seneviratne’s account raises serious questions about the alleged use of force, the targeting of specific inmates and the treatment of injured prisoners, the claims remain allegations and would need to be established through the ongoing investigations and judicial proceedings.
The outcome of those proceedings will be crucial in determining what occurred inside the prison, who was responsible for the alleged assaults and the circumstances surrounding the death of the inmate identified as Asman.
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