Mahara Prison

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Building Information
Mahara Prison
Name	Mahara Prison
Location	Mahara
Country	Sri Lanka
Architect
Client	British Government, Sri Lankan Government
Construction Start Date	1875
Completion Date	1875

The Mahara Prison is a maximum security prison and is the one of the largest prison in Sri Lanka. Situated in the old city of Mahara in the Western Province it was built in 1875 by the British colonial government to ease the congestion at the Slave Island prison and it was used to house the prisoners employed in crushing stones at the Mahara quarry. Since its establishment it had a police post attached to it. The prison is administrated by the Department of Prisons.

[edit] Famous inmates

Utuwankande Sura Saradiel - Bandit turned Freedom fighter, the Robin hood of Sri Lanka
Maradankadawala Yakadaya
Navarian alias Fancis Fernando
Cutex Piyadasa
Keragala Siresana alias cheena
Watareka Jayasundara
Gampaha Munidasa

[edit] Prison break of 1902

In the annals of the Mahara Prison lies evidence of a revolt at the quarry and an escape by 79 inmates around 2.00 pm on June 28, 1902. Prison officers on guard were assaulted and the revolver of the Deputy Jailor was seized by the riot leader. An army team headed by Major Bishop and assisted by the Jailor was able to take into custody 40 escapees from the neighborhood. This was the first and the biggest ever escape in the annals of the Sri Lanka Prisons.