Twenty-five of the inmates at the Boossa Prison have called off the hunger strike they launched last Thursday (September 10).

A total of 43 inmates including notorious underworld figures and drug traffickers such as ‘Kanjipani Imran’, ‘Wele Suda’, ‘Kewuma’, ‘Jausan’ and ‘Soose’ launched the hunger strike based on several demands.

The hunger strike is being continued today (13) for the fourth consecutive day.

However, with having 20 inmates who partook in the strike withdrawing from it, only 20 inmates are engaged in the strike, stated Commissioner-General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya.

Department of Prisons previously claimed that 15 inmates who initially engaged in the hunger strike withdrew from it and partook in meals on Friday (11).

Meanwhile, ‘Potta Naufer’, ‘Army Sampath’ and three other infamous criminals have decided not to support the strike action.

On Friday, ‘Kanjipani Imran’, who was engaging in the hunger strike, was transferred to the Navy Hospital in Boossa before being transported back to the Boossa Prison following several medical tests including an electrocardiogram (ECG).

The inmates on strike are reportedly protesting the discontinuing of telephone facility provided during the COVID-19 outbreak, searching of the attorneys who come into the prison to meet the inmates and the search operations being carried out by the Special Task Force (STF).