Inmates In Indian Jail Slit Guard Throat, Escape From Prison

MEP: Eight prisoners have escaped from a jail on Monday morning in the central Indian city of Bhopal after killing a guard by slitting his throat, police said.

The prisoners fled by scaling the high wall using a rope made from bed sheets.

The activists were members of banned terrorist organization, Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

The men have been identified as Mohammed Saliq, Amjed, Khalid, Abdul Majeed, Mujeeb Sheikh and Zakir Hussain Sadiq. They have been termed dangerous.

The police have launched an operation to hunt down the fugitives.

Senior police official Bhopal Rama Singh told the Press Trust of India agency that the eight men escaped from the main prison in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh state.

Five jail officials have been suspended for lapses in security, including DIG Jail and ADG Jail. Security at the jail was discussed at the recent conference of IGs and SPs addressed by the chief minister in Bhopal.

A high alert was sounded across Madhya Pradesh.

The entire city was in lockdown to nab the escaped activists. “We have issued an alert in the entire state,” Home Minister Bhupendra Singh said.