A deadly riot broke out at Negombo Prison in western Sri Lanka on the evening of July 5, 2026, involving violent clashes between two inmate groups linked to drug trafficking gangs [1, 2, 3]. The unrest escalated again on the morning of July 6, when prisoners seized firearms from guards and attempted to rush the prison gates, sparking further violence [1, 3, 4].

The clashes killed between 23 and 26 people, including 4 to 7 prison guards and roughly 19 to 20 inmates, according to various reports [1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 4]. More than 100 inmates and prison staff were injured, many with gunshot wounds, cuts, and severe bruises, hospital officials confirmed [1, 3, 10, 5]. A police official said, "Four guards were killed when they tried to break up the rioting. The situation got out of hand this morning." [3]

Female inmates housed in an adjacent section climbed onto the prison roof and demanded their release. Part of the roof collapsed during the incident, injuring some women prisoners [1, 3, 5, 6]. Meanwhile, large crowds of inmates’ relatives gathered outside the prison amid tension and uncertainty [1, 10, 6].

Negombo Prison is severely overcrowded. The official capacity is approximately 10,000, about one-fourth of the actual inmate population of 41,250 as of early July 2026 [1, 5, 6]. Authorities say disputes between rival drug gangs inside the prison over trafficking activities sparked the violence [1, 3, 6]. The Sri Lankan military was placed on standby during the riot, and special police commandos were deployed outside but reportedly not inside the prison [1, 2, 10, 5].

Sri Lanka's Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara expressed profound shock and took responsibility for the unrest. He said, "Human beings have died, and there is a deep shock regarding that. This is something that should never have occurred." He confirmed seven prison officials and 19 inmates died and announced an independent investigation [3, 8, 4]. Authorities are transferring prisoners to other facilities to prevent further clashes and are investigating how inmates obtained weapons [1, 3, 4].

This riot is the deadliest prison unrest in Sri Lanka in more than five years; a major riot in December 2020 killed 11 inmates and injured 117 [1, 3, 6]. The situation remains tense as officials continue managing the aftermath and security at the overcrowded prison.

The Justice Ministry is expected to release findings of the ongoing investigation in the coming weeks [8].