by Our Correspondent in Colombo
The deaths of prison officers and inmates during the violence at Negombo Remand Prison have taken a darker turn following postmortem findings that revealed several victims suffered severe torture before their deaths.
Postmortem examinations of 24 prison officers and inmates who died during the incidents on July 5 and 6 were completed on Wednesday, July 9, at Negombo Hospital. The examinations found that 14 people had died from gunshot injuries, while nine others had died as a result of severe physical assault. An open verdict was recorded in one case. Examinations of the remaining four bodies deposited at the hospital were scheduled to continue.
A five-member medical board was appointed to conduct the postmortems, led by Dr. Sujeewa Wickramanayake as chairman, along with Dr. Prasanna Appuhami, Dr. Samantha Wijeratne, Dr. Saminda Rajapaksa and Dr. Ramesh Alagiyawanna.
The findings indicated that the victims had suffered extreme violence. During the examinations, fragments of broomsticks were found in the rectums of some of the deceased prison officers, adding further details to the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
For the families of the officers who lost their lives, the official findings brought a painful confirmation of the tragedy that unfolded inside the prison.
Among those killed was Dilan Sri Abeywardena, a 41-year-old prison guard from Wattegedara, Kohilagedara, Kurunegala. His wife, K. M. Dilini Devika, recalled the last conversation she had with him before his death.
“He told me he would not be able to come home that day. There was a big commotion at the Negombo prison, and he was going there. He asked me not to turn off the phone and said he would talk after going there,” she said.
She said she never received another call from her husband. The following morning, she heard that prisoners had attacked several prison officers and that some had been admitted to hospital. Later, she learned through media reports that her husband was among those who had died.
Dilan Abeywardena was the father of two children, a seven-year-old daughter and a 10-month-old son. His wife works as a library assistant at a school in Bandarawela. She said her husband had spent years travelling after work to see his children because he had been unable to secure a transfer closer to Kurunegala.
According to his family, Abeywardena first served in the Sri Lanka Navy for 12 years before legally resigning and joining the Prisons Department, where he worked as a prison guard for five years.
His mother, A. M. S. Damayanthi Perera, described him as her only son. His father, Ranjith Abeywardena, said his grief came from losing a son he believed had been innocent in the violence. The final rites of Dilan Sri Abeywardena were conducted with state honours at the Wattegedara Public Cemetery on July 10.
Another victim, Sergeant B. N. N. Tharanga, 39, was a member of the Prison Emergency Response Force. His body was taken to his home in Pandeniya, Pinnawala, Balangoda. He was the father of a 10-year-old daughter and had joined the prison service in 2022 after completing 12 years in the Navy.
Tharanga had previously served at Welikada, Angunakolapelessa and Boossa prisons. He had returned home on July 3 and was expected to take leave to attend his uncle’s seven-day almsgiving ceremony on July 6. He returned to work on July 4 with the intention of bringing fish from Negombo for the event, but the clash that began on July 5 resulted in the cancellation of his leave. He died during the violence on July 6.
His wife, who was working in Israel, was unable to arrive immediately, delaying the final rites until her return. Residents of his village said his death was a loss to the community, where he had been involved in social activities.
The death of prison officer M. G. Upali added another layer of grief for his family. Upali, who served in the Prison Emergency Response Team, was injured while deployed to control the unrest at Negombo Prison and later died while receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital on July 8.
After serving 12 years in the Navy, Upali had legally resigned and joined the Sri Lanka Prisons Department. He was a father of two children and was remembered by his family as someone who supported those around him.
His mother, Vinitha Samanmali, from Dranasagama, Horapawita, Kamburupitiya, Matara, said her eldest son had been the person who supported their family and helped others in the village.
She recalled that before returning to work, he had arranged matters related to his younger brother’s marriage and left those responsibilities with her. She said his absence had created an irreplaceable loss for the family.
Upali’s body was scheduled to be brought to his home after the postmortem examination at Colombo National Hospital. His final rites were set to take place on July 11 at the Sri Vijaya Sundararama Viharaya Crematorium in Horapawita, with participation from prison officials.
As investigations and official procedures continue following the Negombo Prison violence, the postmortem findings have documented the extent of the injuries suffered by those who died, while their families prepare to move forward after losing their loved ones in one of the most serious incidents to affect the prison system in recent times.
