Police investigations have revealed that condemned prisoner Mohamed Nauffer alias ‘Potta Nauffer’ had been attacked when he attempted to complain to prison authorities about threats to his life from four fellow prisoners.

Prisons Chief, Major General (Retd) Vajira Wijegunawardena said that Nauffer and another condemned prisoner ‘Army Nalaka’ had been close friends detained in the B "Cell of the Chapel section before they fell out over a dispute over a cellular phone recently.

The main suspect in the attack on Nauffer, former soldier Nalaka Tissera had been sentenced to death for slaying two persons suspected of killing his father.

Nauffer who was categorized as a ‘dangerous prisoner’ by the Prison authorities after he was condemned to death for the assassination High Court Judge Sarath Ambepitiya and moved to C-3 cell in the Chapel section.

He was to be taken out for his usual half-hour of physical exercises around 3.45 pm on Friday when the four attacked him with spikes.

The Chief Jailor of the Welikade Prison, K. K. S. U. Ranjan had informed the acting OIC of the Borella Police, IP H. M. P. B. Wijesiri who rushed a team of armed policemen and admitted the victim to the emergency ward of the Colombo National Hospital.

Director of the Accident Ward Dr. Anil Jasinghe said that surgery was performed and the victim was out of danger and moved to the ICU, where his recovery is being monitored around the clock. A special team of armed policemen and jailors are guarding him.

Hospital sources said the victim had injuries on his forehead, chest, abodeman and elbow.

The other three suspects involved in the attack on Nauffer are prisoners serving long term jail sentences for narcotic offences.

All four suspects have now been transferred to Bogambara Prison for security reasons.

The Prisons chief said that initial investigations had revealed there had been a lapse on the part of prison guards as they had not locked up the other prisoners when condemned prisoners catergorised as ‘dangerous’ were taken out for exercises.

Due to both the cells C-3 and B-3 being kept open, the suspects were able to carry out the surprise attack, he said.

Major General (Retd) Wijegunawardena said that he had called for a full internal probe. A report will be submitted to him by Monday.