By Uditha Jayasinghe
COLOMBO, July 8 (Reuters) - Dularika Perera, 38, only found out her cousin was among 26 people killed in the worst Sri Lankan prison riot in years when his photo was sent to her on WhatsApp.
The seven prison officials and 19 prisoners died in two days of fighting between two groups of inmates at the prison in the coastal town of Negombo, about 35 km (20 miles) north of the commercial capital, Colombo, authorities said.
Clad in white and holding onto her four-year-old son, Perera was among the grieving relatives and friends waiting on Wednesday morning for the bodies of the prison officials to be brought to the Welikada Prison in Colombo.
Sergeant S.D.S Abeywardana, 41, had spent a dozen years in Sri Lanka's navy before joining a special unit under the prison's department tasked with tackling corruption, drug trafficking and misconduct.
COLOMBO, July 8 (Reuters) - Dularika Perera, 38, only found out her cousin was among 26 people killed in the worst Sri Lankan prison riot in years when his photo was sent to her on WhatsApp.
The seven prison officials and 19 prisoners died in two days of fighting between two groups of inmates at the prison in the coastal town of Negombo, about 35 km (20 miles) north of the commercial capital, Colombo, authorities said.
Clad in white and holding onto her four-year-old son, Perera was among the grieving relatives and friends waiting on Wednesday morning for the bodies of the prison officials to be brought to the Welikada Prison in Colombo.
Sergeant S.D.S Abeywardana, 41, had spent a dozen years in Sri Lanka's navy before joining a special unit under the prison's department tasked with tackling corruption, drug trafficking and misconduct.
21 days ago
