In a significant security lapse, two undertrial prisoners managed to escape from the Ayodhya district jail on Thursday morning, prompting immediate action from the Uttar Pradesh Prisons Department. The incident has raised serious concerns about jail security protocols in the state.
Discovery During Routine Head Count
Officials discovered the escape during the routine morning head count at the Ayodhya district jail. When jail warders and the head warder could not locate the two inmates, they rushed to the quarantine barrack where the prisoners were lodged. To their shock, they found a section of the wall had been broken, providing a clear escape route for the undertrials.
Immediate Administrative Response
Following the incident, Director General of the Uttar Pradesh Prisons Department, P C Meena, ordered the suspension of seven jail officials. The suspended personnel include Superintendent U C Mishra, Jailor J K Yadav, Deputy Jailor Mayank Tripathi, a head warder, and three warders. This swift disciplinary action underscores the gravity of the security breach.
ADG/IG of the Ayodhya Range, Praveen Kumar, confirmed the escape and stated that an extensive search operation is underway to trace the inmates. District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police were immediately dispatched to the jail to conduct a thorough inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the escape.
Massive Manhunt Launched
Separate police teams, in coordination with jail security staff, have launched an extensive search across the region to locate the two fugitives. The escapees have been identified as Golu Agrahari, also known as Suraj, from Amethi district, and Sher Ali from Sultanpur district. Agrahari was facing charges in a rape case, while Ali was implicated in an attempt to murder case.
Timeline of Events
According to administrative details, the inmates were last seen during the 6 pm headcount on Wednesday evening as they were being sent back to their barrack. However, during the subsequent head count on Thursday morning, their absence was noted, triggering the alarm. Staff members discovered broken bricks and a compromised wall section in the barrack, indicating the method of escape.
Senior officials conducted a comprehensive search of the entire jail premises but found no trace of the men. An official noted that the main boundary wall of the jail is situated just beyond the barrack where the two undertrials were housed, raising questions about how they managed to scale it without detection.
Recurring Security Concerns
This incident is not isolated. In a similar event on January 4, two inmates escaped from the Kannauj district jail by scaling the boundary wall. Police are still searching for those fugitives, highlighting a pattern of security vulnerabilities in Uttar Pradesh's correctional facilities.
The escape from Ayodhya jail has intensified scrutiny on jail management and security measures across the state. Authorities are now focused on apprehending the escaped prisoners and implementing stricter protocols to prevent such breaches in the future.
