Sri Lanka: Seven including gang leader, guards killed as gunmen shoot at prison bus

Seven people were killed on Monday when gunmen shot at a bus transporting prisoners to a court in southwest Sri Lanka, news reports said.

Seven people were killed on Monday when gunmen shot at a bus transporting prisoners to a court in southwest Sri Lanka, news reports said.

Sri Lanka's police officers inspect a prison bus after gunmen opened fire in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Reuters Photo)

Five inmates, including a suspected gang leader, and two prison guards were killed in the attack near the town of Kalutara, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of the capital, Colombo, privately owned Maharaja TV reported. Two other inmates were injured and hospitalised.

The gunmen escaped after the shooting.

The motive for the attack was not immediately known. Police and prison officials were unavailable for comment.

A police officer inspects the prison bus after gunmen opened fire in Colombo.

There have been several incidents in the past in Sri Lanka in which rival criminal gangs have targeted each other on court premises or inside prison vehicles.