Two prisoners escape from Odisha jail while staff, inmates were celebrating Dussehra

Two undertrial prisoners escaped from the high-security Choudwar circle jail in Odisha's Cuttack district by scaling the boundary wall while the staff and other inmates were celebrating the Dussehra festival, officials said on Friday.

Two employees of the prison were suspended for dereliction of duty.

The police announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for any information leading to the arrest of the two escapees - Raja Sahani and Madhukanta Kumar, both residents of Bihar. They were arrested in January on the charge of murdering two persons and looting a jewellery shop in Jajpur district.

Director General (Prisons and Correctional Services) Susanta Kumar Nath visited the jail and reviewed the circumstances under which the inmates escaped when staff and prisoners were celebrating Dussehra on Thursday night.

''On charge of negligence in duty, I have suspended a chief warder and a warder of the jail, and a case has been registered at Choudwar police station. DIG central range has been entrusted with the investigation,'' Nath told reporters.

Nath said a probe will be conducted to determine whether the escapees had the support of jail staff or from outside.

During the inspection, Nath found that the iron rods of the prisoners' cells had been cut before they scaled the boundary wall.

''They used a blanket as a rope to climb the wall,'' a staff said, adding that it was suspected that the duo could manage to escape when the cultural programs were going on in the Choudwar Jail premises on Thursday night for Dussehra.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Cuttack released the photographs of the prisoners on the run and also announced a reward for their arrest. "Citizens are requested to provide information on the whereabouts of the accused. Reward: Cash of Rs 50,000 for any information leading to their arrest. Informer's identity will remain confidential," the officer said in an X post.

A search operation has been on to arrest the prisoners.

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