2 undertrials use fog cover to scale jail wall and flee | Lucknow News
Lucknow: Zero-visibility due to dense fog gave the perfect cover to two undertrials who used six blankets from their barracks to scale Kannauj district jail’s 22-foot-high wall and escape early on Monday. Four prison staff, including the jailer, were suspended for negligence.An inquiry was ordered into the lapses that led to the escape. The two undertrials who escaped were identified as Ankit and Dumpy. According to sources, the fog was so blinding that guards in the watchtowers couldn’t see the entire jail wall while CCTVs also failed to capture any clear footage. Those suspended include jailer Vinay Pratap Singh, deputy jailer Badri Prasad, head jail warder Shivcharan and jail warder Shivendra Singh Yadav. Meanwhile, the role of the superintendent of district jail, Kannauj, is being examined by deputy inspector general (prisons), Kanpur range, Pradeep Gupta.Ankit, 25, was arrested under the Arms Act while Shiva, alias Dumpy, 26, was held for eloping with a minor. The district jail from where two undertrial prisoners escaped is located around 25km away from the district headquarters, officials said. According to sources, the two must have planned it for weeks, recced the blind spot to breach the wall and must have waited for the fog to provide the perfect cover to them. During the inspection, it was found that agricultural fields lie outside the jail boundary, which allegedly enabled the two undertrials to escape easily after crossing the wall. Sources said the surrounding terrain provided clear routes for the fugitives to move away from the jail premises without immediate obstruction. Officials admitted that if proper surveillance was maintained from the watchtowers, the escape attempt could have been detected and the prisoners apprehended in time. Following the escape, a manhunt was launched to trace and arrest the absconding undertrials. Police teams were alerted, and security at the jail was tightened. The incident once again raised questions about prison security protocols and accountability within the jail administration in UP. Meanwhile, a video purportedly showing jail superintendent Bhimsen Mukund attending a party inside the jail surfaced following the incident. It was claimed that a DJ party was held inside the prison premises a few days ago. Mukund’s role in the incident is also under scrutiny.
