In a major security lapse, three undertrial prisoners facing grave criminal charges managed to escape from a sub-jail in Ujjain district of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday evening. The inmates, who were engaged in painting and cleaning work, used a folding ladder to scale the jail wall and flee.
Details of the Jailbreak and the Fugitives
The daring escape occurred at the Khachrod sub-jail and was discovered during the routine evening headcount conducted between 5:45 PM and 6:00 PM. Jail authorities found three inmates missing from the group assigned to maintenance duties. A folding ladder issued for the painting work was also found to be missing.
The escaped prisoners have been identified as:
- Narayan Jat (31) from village Chandwasla, who is facing charges under the rape and POCSO Act.
- Govind (35) from Jawahar Marg in Nagda, who is accused of murder.
- Gopal (22) from Malakhedi, who is accused of kidnapping and rape.
Modus Operandi of the Escape
According to Khachrod police station in-charge Dhansingh Nalwaya, preliminary investigations revealed a simple yet effective method. The prisoners, who had been issued the ladder for their painting tasks, concealed it and later used it to climb the nearly 12-foot-high perimeter wall of the jail. "They concealed it and used it to scale the wall before fleeing," Nalwaya stated.
The escape highlights potential gaps in the supervision of inmates during work assignments, especially those involving tools that could be repurposed.
Massive Police Manhunt Underway
Immediately after the jailbreak was confirmed, a large-scale search operation was launched. Police teams have fanned out to multiple locations, including the addresses listed in the jail records and suspected hideouts of the trio.
CCTV footage from areas surrounding the jail and along possible escape routes is being meticulously scrutinised. Authorities have also activated their informer network to gather intelligence on the movements of the fugitives.
Police officials confirmed that cases will be registered against all three escapees upon receiving a formal letter from the jail department. Expressing confidence in the operation, Nalwaya claimed, "We have already received crucial leads on the fugitives' whereabouts. We will catch them soon."
Ujjain Central Jail superintendent Manoj Sahu confirmed the incident and stated that he was heading to the sub-jail on the directions of senior officials to assess the situation firsthand.
The incident raises serious questions about security protocols in district sub-jails, particularly concerning the management of undertrial prisoners involved in manual labour within the facility.
