In a dramatic turn of events, two prisoners escaped from Roshanabad jail during a Ramlila performance on Friday night.
The prisoners, who were playing the role of monkeys in the traditional performance, used the opportunity to escape while the scene of the search for Mother Sita was unfolding.
The escapees, identified as Pankaj from Roorkee, Uttarakhand, and Rajkumar from Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, took advantage of the distraction and scaled a 22-foot-high wall using a ladder placed near an under-construction high-security barrack.
Pankaj, who was serving a life sentence for murder and had ties to the Balmiki group, and Rajkumar, an under-trial in a kidnapping case, disappeared into the night before the jail authorities realised what had happened.
The incident came to light during the post-performance prisoner count when jail officers discovered the two inmates were missing.
A frantic search ensued throughout the night, with the Haridwar police and jail administration combing through the premises and checking CCTV footage.
Despite their efforts, the prisoners were not located, making the authorities notify local law enforcement.
The escape has raised serious concerns about the security measures in the jail.
As per reports, Haridwar District Magistrate Karmendra Singh and Senior Superintendent of Police Parmendra Doval visited the facility to inspect the situation.
DM Singh expressed dissatisfaction over the apparent negligence that allowed the prisoners to flee and announced that both departmental and magistrate investigations would be launched.
Meanwhile, SSP Doval confirmed that the police control room was alerted at 6 a.m and immediate search operations were launched in nearby areas. A case has been registered at Sidkul police station, and efforts to locate the escapees continue.
