Indian mission in touch with Sri Lanka prison riot victim’s family, say sources
The Indian High Commission is coordinating with Sri Lankan authorities following the death of an Indian inmate during a violent prison riot in Negombo. The incident, which resulted in 28 deaths, has prompted the Sri Lankan government to address long-standing issues of prison overcrowding.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the diplomatic sensitivity of Indian citizens incarcerated abroad and the broader humanitarian crisis in Sri Lankan prisons.
The High Commission of India in Colombo is in touch with Sri Lankan authorities and the family of the Indian inmate who was among those killed in the recent prison riots , sources told The Hindu on Friday (July 10, 2026). However, neither the Sri Lankan nor Indian authorities have officially commented on the development.
The victim, U. Sarathchandran, 73, was killed in the deadly clashes that broke out in a prison in Negombo, located about 35 km north of Colombo and adjoining the Bandaranaike International Airport, on July 6. A total of 28 persons, including eight prison officers, were killed in the riots, one of the most violent episodes witnessed in Sri Lankan prisons. Over 100 inmates were injured. Soon after the riots, authorities moved over 1,000 prisoners, including some Indian nationals in custody, from the Negombo prison to other prisons across the island.
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