Williamnagar jailbreak
SHILLONG: The over friendly nature of jail staff and their games with the inmates apparently resulted in the jail break in Williamnagar on May 3.
Sources said that the jail personnel had become very friendly with the prisoners and they used to play various kinds of games within the jail premises, but the prisoners took advantage of the friendly nature of the jail personnel and made the escape.
It was reported soon after the jail break that the incident took place when a jail official opened the inner gate to allow a UTP to collect the volleyball from one of the prison rooms in the complex.
Sources questioned the friendly nature of the jail personnel towards the prisoners which resulted in the prison break.
The escapees included hardcore militants from the banned GNLA and ASAK and a convicted rapist involved in the gang rape of a girl during the winter festival over three years ago.
The prison break took place approximately at 2:30pm when one of the under trial prisoners reportedly approached a temporary assistant jail warden asking for a volleyball.
When the jail official opened the inner gate to allow the UTP to collect the ball from one of the prison rooms in the complex, five other prisoners, waiting on the sidelines, rushed out and overpowered the assistant warden.
To make matters worse, the outer gate of the prison was also left open giving an opportunity for the prisoners to flee to freedom.
An alarm was raised by an armed police battalion constable on duty at a watch tower who spotted the scuffle taking place below.
Sources said that Williamanagar jail is full of hardcore criminals and the authorities should not have adopted a casual approach towards the prisoners since a similar incident happened in the jail few years back when militants shot dead two jail staff inside the jail.
The East Garo Hills District Administration is conducting a magisterial inquiry into the incident.
The inquiry is conducted by EAC T Marak and he has been asked to submit the report as soon as possible.