Devananda was twice arrested in 1980 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and was held in various prisons in the country. He was imprisoned again after a bank robbery at Thirukkovil. He was in Welikada prison when the July 1983 anti-Tamil riots began. On 25 and 27 July 1983 53 Tamil prisoners were massacred by Sinhalese prisoners. Devananda and 27 other Tamil prisoners who survived were transferred to Batticaloa prison. On 27 September 1983, 41 Tamil political prisoners including Devananda escaped from Batticaloa prison. Devananda fled to Tamil Nadu in India.