(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The Police Special Task Force (STF) will be deployed for the security of Welikada, Magazine and Colombo Remand Prisons, with effect from today (25), the Ministry of Rehabilitation & Prison Reforms said.
According to Additional Secretary of the Ministry Bandula Jayasinghe, over 200 STF personnel will be deployed at the prisons. They will be in charge of the external security of these prisons and of inspecting the persons entering prison premises.
Mr. Jayasinghe emphasized that the measure is taken to prevent illegal items from entering prisons, enhance security and curb racketeering operations and other illegal activities in prisons.
Commencing the program, Police Special Task Force personnel were deployed on the 17th of this month at the Angunakolapelessa Prison, which houses some of the most notorious criminals.
Meanwhile 8 inmates who have led a protest in the Angunakolapelessa prison against the deployment of STF at the prison have been transferred to other prisons.
Among the transferred inmates are underworld leaders ‘Julampitiye Amare’ and ‘Tangalle Mahesh’, who were remanded under murder and drug dealing charges. They have reportedly been transferred to Kalutara, Kuruwita, Galle, Matara and Monaragala prisons.
