Sri Lanka, July 9 -- Two days of deadly violence in the Negombo prison have laid bare the persistent decay in the Sri Lankan prison system, and by and large, the entire criminal justice apparatus.

The violent riots cost at least 27 lives, including 8 prison officers' and 19 inmates', and injured over a hundred. The inmates clubbed to death several prison officers before waging running battles with the prison guards and Police Special Task Force commandos.

Violence first erupted on Sunday between two prison gangs, reportedly over a tip-off provided by one group over a narcotic operation carried out inside the prisons by another. The riot was reportedly led by a known underworld criminal, Katuwellegama Suresh Pushpa Kumara, a close ass...