Welikada Prison
The Welikada Prison is a maximum-security prison and the largest prison in Sri Lanka. It was built in 1841 by the British colonial government under Governor Campbell (British [Army officer">Colin Campbell (British Army officer, born 1776)">Campbell (British [Army officer, born 1776)|Campbell]. The prison covers an area of. It is overcrowded with about 1700 detainees exceeding the actual number that could be accommodated. The prison also has a gallows and its own hospital. The prison is administered by the Department of Prisons.
Following the attempted military Attempted [military coup in Ceylon, 1962|coup in 1962], the arrested military and police officers were remanded pending trial in a special section at Welikada prison called the Magazine Section. To guard these officers, a special security detachment called the composite guard was selected from the Ceylon Light Infantry, with Major A Hulangamuwa in charge.
2012 Prison riot
In November 2012, 27 people died in Welikada [prison riot (2012)|clashes] between inmates and prison guards.Core functions
- Detention of prisoners on first conviction
- Categorization of convicted prisoners on admission and transferring them to relevant prisons
- Detention of condemned prisoners
- Production of suspects to Kesbewa and Moratuwa courts
- Provision of vocational training to prisoners
- Launching of welfare and rehabilitation programs for prisoners
Relocation
It is proposed to relocate the prison to Horana by 2024. The existing complex will be opened for investments.Notable inmates
- D S Senanayake - National hero, independence activist and first prime minister of Ceylon
- F R Senanayake - National hero and independence activist
- Captain Henry Pedris - National hero and martyr of the independence movement
- Anagarika Dharmapala - National hero, independence activist and leading figure of the Buddhist revival
- Colonel F. C. de Saram - A leader of the attempted military corp of 1962
- Talduwe Somarama - The assassin of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, who was executed in 1962
- Bombardier Gratien Fernando - Leader of the Cocos islands mutiny
- Douglas Devananda - Tamil politician, cabinet minister and the paramilitary leader of the EPDP
- Sepala Ekanayake - Airline hijacker
- Sarath Fonseka - Former Commander of the Army and Chief of Defence Staff who led the army for a win against the Tamil Tigers
- Selvarajah Yogachandran - also known as Kuttimani was one of the leaders of former Tamil militant organization TELO, killed in Welikada prison massacre
- Nadarajah Thangathurai - one of the leaders of former Tamil militant organization TELO, killed in Welikada prison massacre