By Supun Dias and Romesh Madusanka

Eleven inmates of the Vavuniya prison took at least 84 other inmates hostage and demanded that prison officers transfer their leader a prisoner called ‘Sashi’ back from the Anuradhapura prison.

‘Sashi’ was transferred to the Anuradhapura prison from the Vavuniya prison after assaulting a priest who had been remanded for allegedly raping a schoolgirl. Following the clash two inmates, including the priest, had been admitted to the Vavuniya General Hospital.

The prisoners have locked the other 84 in several cells and are guarding them. The prisoners are preventing the authorities’ access to them.

A clash had earlier erupted when eleven inmates led by ‘Sashi’ had attempted to assault the priest — and another group of prisoners had come to defend the priest.

Speaking to Daily Mirror, Prisons Commissioner Major General V.R De Silva said that the suspect priest had been sent to Vavuniya Jail after being remanded by the Mannar Magistrate.

He said that the situation was under control. According to prisons sources, the Vavuniya SSP had come to negotiate with the inmates and get them to release the others. However at the time of going to press the situation was unchanged, according to highly placed prisons officials.

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