The Hindu : Front Page : 299 escape from Dantewada prison

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Monday, Dec 17, 2007
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299 escape from Dantewada prison

Those who fled include 105 naxal activists; three guards and two inmates injured in clashes

Raipur: Amid a hail of gunfire, 299 inmates, including 105 naxal activists, escaped from the Dantewada jail in Chhattisgarh on Sunday after overpowering prison guards. Three guards and two undertrials were injured during the clashes.

In a major security lapse, the “pre-meditated” strike happened around 4.35 p.m. when the inmates were being served food. A lone naxalite commandar Sujit Kumar overpowered a jail guard inside the prison and opened fire after snatching his rifle.

During the firing, three guards were injured, Dantewada jail sources told PTI over phone. As many as 377 inmates are in the district prison, about 375 km from the State Capital, which is located in a naxal infested area.

Principal Secretary (Home) N K Aswal said five jail officials including the jailer have been suspended in connection with the incident.

The naxals snatched two .303 rifles and three muskets of the guards and one wireless set before they fled, Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam told PTI.

Rahul Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Dantewada said the jail break was a “pre-meditated conspiracy” hatched by the undertrials, who were mostly naxal supporters.

“During the firing and clashes which lasted for about 15 minutes two naxal supporters were injured,” Mr. Sharma said.

To a question, Mr. Netam admitted there was a lapse in security in and around the Dantewada jail.

Police made some preliminary search operations in the jungle near the prison to nab the inmates but called it off as night fell. A major search will be resumed on Monday, police said.

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