Four prisoners escape from jail in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch; police suspect outsider support, declare bounty of Rs 50,000

Neemuch: Four prisoners, including two convicted for smuggling drugs and others facing trials in murder and rape cases, escaped from a jail in Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, the police said.

As per preliminary investigation, the four prisoners — Nar Singh (20), Pankaj Mongia (21) (both from Rajasthan), Lekh Ram (29) and Dubey Lal (19) — cut the iron rod of their barrack at the sub-jail located in Kanavati area, just about 5 kilometres from the district headquarters.

They then threw a rope across the 22-feet-tall boundary wall of the jail, climbed over it with some outside support and snuck out of the prison compound, jailor RP Vasunai said.

Singh, hailing from Udaipur, and Mongia, belonging to Chittor, were convicted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and face various imprisonments.

Ram, a native of neighbouring Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh, is under trial in a case of loot and murder, and Lal, a resident of the state’s Mandla district, is facing trial in a rape case, Vasunai said.

State Director General of Police (Prisons) Sanjay Choudhary declared a bounty of Rs 50,000 on each of the four.

Top district officials have reached the prison to investigate the incident.

The Madhya Pradesh Police has also stepped up security in areas bordering Rajasthan, the official said, adding efforts were on to trace the four prisoners.