Colombo:
At least 51 people, including 44 policemen and four prison officials, were injured when a drug raid at Sri Lanka's main jail in the capital sparked violence, officials and doctors said.
Around 200 policemen stormed the prison on Sunday morning as part of nation-wide operation to crackdown on illegal activities inside prisons, including drug abuse.
Convicts beat up the police as they stormed the Welikada prison to search for hidden narcotics as part of a nationwide crackdown against illegal drugs, police said.
The director of Colombo National Hospital, Hector Weerasinghe, said the 44 policemen and four prison officials had been brought for treatment.
"We were told that they were beaten up by prisoners when they tried to carry out a search," Weerasinghe said.
Forty-four persons were still under treatments, he added. "Most of them have head and chest injuries."
Prison officials said at least three inmates were also injured in the clash.
Prisons deputy minister Vijithamuni Soysa said police had obtained a search warrant from a magistrate before entering the prison.
The clashes came as the police announced the arrest of over 11,000 suspects and the seizure of large quantities of heroin and cannabis in an anti-narcotics drive.
The drug search was being extended to all prisons, including the country's main prison situated in the heart of the capital.
Police have found more than dozen of mobile phones, chargers and SIM cards inside other prisons island wide but no violent reaction was reported.
Special police teams have been appointed to conduct investigation on the matter, Police spokesman Prishantha Jayakodi said.
Under the Sri Lankan law, crime of drug trafficking attracts severe penalties, including the death penalty.
Around 200 policemen stormed the prison on Sunday morning as part of nation-wide operation to crackdown on illegal activities inside prisons, including drug abuse.
Convicts beat up the police as they stormed the Welikada prison to search for hidden narcotics as part of a nationwide crackdown against illegal drugs, police said.
The director of Colombo National Hospital, Hector Weerasinghe, said the 44 policemen and four prison officials had been brought for treatment.
"We were told that they were beaten up by prisoners when they tried to carry out a search," Weerasinghe said.
Forty-four persons were still under treatments, he added. "Most of them have head and chest injuries."
Prison officials said at least three inmates were also injured in the clash.
Prisons deputy minister Vijithamuni Soysa said police had obtained a search warrant from a magistrate before entering the prison.
The clashes came as the police announced the arrest of over 11,000 suspects and the seizure of large quantities of heroin and cannabis in an anti-narcotics drive.
The drug search was being extended to all prisons, including the country's main prison situated in the heart of the capital.
Police have found more than dozen of mobile phones, chargers and SIM cards inside other prisons island wide but no violent reaction was reported.
Special police teams have been appointed to conduct investigation on the matter, Police spokesman Prishantha Jayakodi said.
Under the Sri Lankan law, crime of drug trafficking attracts severe penalties, including the death penalty.
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