The Hindu : Chapra jailbreak, a repeat of Danapur incident

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 25, 2004

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National

Chapra jailbreak, a repeat of Danapur incident

By K. Balchand

PATNA, FEB. 24. None of the eight notorious prisoners who escaped from the Chapra district jail yesterday could so far be traced.

The escape strategy relating to the Chapra incident was almost a repeat performance of the Danapur episode. In Danapur jailbreak also bombs were used to help the inmates escape. The Government had admitted laxity in that case and several heads rolled. The alleged connivance of some jail authorities is being investigated. In both the cases a vehicle had been parked outside to help the jailbirds flee.

In yesterday's incident at Chapra, not a single bullet was fired at the escapees, some of whom are involved in as many as 33 cases, including the murder of a DSP in Siwan. Chapra had witnessed a jailbreak two years ago. At least six were shot dead by the police in a bid to quell a rebellion last year.

Yesterday's incident only makes a mockery of the Government's efforts to tackle the situation. It happened even as the Jail Minister, Basawan Bhagat, was presiding over a meeting to discuss jailbreaks, but the meeting had to be adjourned to facilitate the IG Prisons, Ravi Kant, to rush to the spot.

Three jailbreaks have taken place in just over 10 days during which 15 hardened criminals escaped. In yesterday's incident, six of the escapees belonged to Siwan.

Warden dies

PTI reports:

The warden of the Chapra jail, Dudhnath Sharma, who sustained splinter injuries along with two prisoners, died at the Patna Medical College Hospital today.

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