TURA: An under trial prisoner from Tura district jail who was being brought back from a court hearing broke free just outside the prison gates and escaped on Wednesday night.
Five police personnel who were on escort duty, have been placed under suspension following the escape.
The jailbird who fled to freedom has been identified as Tengrik Sangma, a resident of Williamnagar in East Garo Hills. He was facing trial for cases relating to kidnapping and extortion in South Garo Hills district.
A week ago, the accused was caught with a mobile phone by jailors during a surprise check of the prison cells.
“Following the recovery of the mobile phone we had moved the court seeking his police remand. The remand was rejected by the court which sent him back to judicial custody. The incident happened outside the main prison gate when he was being taken back and a sanitization process against Covid-19 infection was being carried out on him ,” informed West Garo Hills Superintendent of police MGR Kumar.
The prisoner, who was not handcuffed, was brought to the district jail at New Tura a little after 7 PM.
Since it is mandatory for everyone entering the prison to go through a thorough sanitization process to check against Covid-19 infection, a similar protocol was being given to the prisoner outside the main gate when he suddenly made a dash for freedom.
Taking advantage of the darkness he ran towards the nearby jungle area and despite a hot chase by the police team he managed to give them the slip.
Further frantic searches failed to yield any result for the police.
“There has been negligence on the part of the escorting party and we have initiated action. We have ordered an enquiry and also placed the entire escort party under suspension,” added SP Kumar.