Dec 03, Colombo: Sri Lanka Ministry of Defense has instructed the Prisons Department to request for additional police security for special detainees who are taken to the courts.

The police stations in the area of the courts have been instructed to provide additional security for the special detainees produced in courts.

Prisons Commissioner General P.W. Kodippili has instructed the prison superintendents to hand over all T-56 automatic rifles to the Ministry of Defense. The prison officials will be provided with repeater shot guns to provide security to the detainees.

Ministry of Defense has informed the Ministry of Prison Reforms and Rehabilitation to hand over all the T-56 automatic rifles that are in the armories of the prisons.

During the riots on November 09 at the main Welikada Prison in Colombo, the prisoners armed themselves with T-56 rifles after breaking into the armory and started shooting the Special Task Force (STF) police officers deployed to conduct a search. During the shootout 27 prisoners were killed and over 40 persons including the Commander of the STF were injured.