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| Sunday, 7 July 2002 |
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Tangalle Prison:a Special unit headed by DIG Shanker defuse hostage drama by JAYAMPATHY JAYASINGHE For the first time, a specially trained unit of police officers to deal with contingencies such as hostage-taking were rushed to the Tangalle prison a fortnight ago to defuse a volatile situation that arose after several prison officials were taken hostages by the inmates of the prison. The Unit headed by DIG, S.K. Shanker was rushed to the Tangalle prison on June 30 Sunday on orders from Interior Minister John Amaratunga and the IGP to negotiate with prisoners and to bring about a settlement. The unit is composed of 23 senior gazetted officers trained in USA by FBI, US Army personnel and State Department experts, specialised in anti-terrorism measures and hostage negotiations situations. It was a sultry day in Tangalle on June 30 as people went about attending to their daily chores. But towards mid day, a sudden drama unfolded inside the Tangalle prison complex where some disgruntled prisoners, numbering about 15-20 prisoners decided to overpower prison officials and took control of the prisons by taking over prison officials as hostages. The plot was meticulously hatched by hardcore prison convicts G. S. Amarasiri, Chaminda, Deepal and a driver of a former politician from down south. The prison officials were absolutely clueless as they were taken unawares. Around 2.30. p.m a few hardcore prisoners ganged up together and overpowered nine prison officials on duty at the prison complex. Thereafter they set about by breaking open the prison armoury by using a large hammer and a crowbar and grabbed several firearms including four T-56 automatic rifles and 950 rounds of ammunition, five repeater shot guns with 800 cartridges, three .380 revolvers. The prisoners now armed to the teeth were now making an effort to escape from the prisons. Meanwhile the Tangalle police was alerted about the attempted jail break and a police team led by HQI Tangalle Anura Abeywickrema rushed to the spot with reinforcements from the Navy and the Army. Later several army commandos specialised in anti-terrorism work were flown in from the North. With assistance from the service personnel the police cordoned off the area to prevent prisoners from escaping. Despite this, several prisoners including three male and nine female prisoners who managed to escape later. surrendered to the Tangalle police station. According to Police there were many causes behind the hostage taking drama. The inmates felt that they were falsely implicated and incarcerated without charges being framed against them. Others complained about the cramped up facilities at the prisons built during the Dutch era. Although the prison was meant to accommodate 60, there are far too many in excess. There were 450 prisoners altogether and their basic sanitation and hygienic conditions were overlooked by authorities. Of the 450 prisoners, 40 inmates were serving their sentences. During the melee, exchanges of fire was heard between the prisoners and the police which resulted in six prisoners, one prison guard and a Sub Inspector of police being injuring in the crossfire. Due to crossfire the water supply and the telecommunications system was disrupted and the police had no way of communicating with the prisoners. One of the prison guards trapped inside the prison however managed to get away around 7.30. p.m. On the following day Interior Minister John Amaratunga, Leader of the Opposition Mahinda Rajapakse, Chief Minister for the Southern Province, H. G. Sirisena, Hambantota M.P. Siri A. Hennadi and Senior State Counsel Yasantha Kodagoda from the Attorney General's Department visited the prison. Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse was able to tackle the volatile situation by talking to hostages inside the prison who by then had decided to lay down their arms and surrender themselves to the authorities. The hostage drama ultimately ended around by 12 noon on the following day without fatal casualties. |
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