The Department of Prisons has said that the Rs. 500,000 paid to the families of prison officers who died in the recent clash at Negombo Prison was only an initial compensation payment.
Responding to criticism over the amount, Prisons Commissioner and Media Spokesperson A.C. Gajanayake said the department was considering increasing the total compensation paid to each affected family to more than Rs. 2 million.
He also said that all funeral expenses of the deceased officers had been borne by the Department of Prisons.
Meanwhile, the department was considering granting compensation to prison officers who were injured in the incident.
Gajanayake said seven injured prison officers remained hospitalised, with three continuing to receive treatment in the Intensive Care Unit of the Colombo National Hospital.
