By November 1988, JVP suspects held in prisons had begun a protest movement demanding either their release or prosecution. The protest commenced on November 3, 1988. The rebel prisoners organized themselves to confront the situation that had developed at Magazine Prison.
On the morning of November 7, 1988, a prisoner was seen climbing an ehela tree inside the prison and issuing orders through a loudspeaker. Some prisoners were armed with stones, sticks, clubs, pipes, and other makeshift weapons. The situation escalated, and on the same day, the prisoners took control of Welikada Prison.
Prison authorities urged the inmates to stop the violence and surrender. Meanwhile, the Army and Police were placed on standby outside the prison gates. Later, a group of military commandos entered the prison by climbing the walls using ladders and ropes and launched an operation to regain control.
Several prisoners were killed in the ensuing military assault. Among the deceased were Bulathsinghe Sunil Perera, a resident of Mirihana Raja Mawatha, and Dedduwa Kapurugama Douglas. Their post-mortem examinations were conducted at the Welikada Prison Headquarters by Colombo Additional Magistrate M. M. A. Gafoor.
President Jayewardene held the relevant ministers responsible for the violent situation that had arisen from the large-scale protests by JVP suspects at Magazine Prison and other remand prisons across the country. At the time, the Minister of Justice responsible for prisons was Dr. Nissanka Wijeratne. However, as he was in France, Shelton Ranaraja served as the Acting Minister of Justice.
Accepting responsibility for the incidents, Justice Minister Nissanka Wijeratne submitted his resignation from his ministerial position to President Jayewardene by cable on November 9, 1988, while he was in France. The following day, Acting Minister of Justice Shelton Ranaraja also resigned from his post.
President Jayewardene accepted both resignations and appointed Kaduwela Member of Parliament E. P. Paul Perera as the new Minister of Justice on November 11, 1988.
