Eight prisoners explode bombs, flee Chapra jail

Chapra SP M.S. Majid said construction work was underway in the prison. Prisoners were allowed to roam the campus between 2.30 and 4 pm after lunch. ‘‘During this time, they exploded three crude bombs and scared away the guards. They scaled the jail compound using a ladder, which was used in the construction work.’’

Another prisoner, Shambhu Prasad, who had exploded the bombs could not escape. Six of the eight fugitives belong to Siwan district which borders Chapra. Rajkishore Chaudhary has just one arm.

Late at night, the prison was pitch dark as the power supply was out. A prisoners’ rollcall was being conducted with lanterns and torches. Though the Chapra District Jail has a capacity to house 542 prisoners, it houses 1,139 inmates. Similarly, the number of sanctioned jail personnel is 55 but at present there are 47 employees.

As the Lok Sabha elections draw close, this is the second major jailbreak in Bihar in the last 15 days. On February 13, four criminals from Dhanbad jail had escaped in similar fashion using crude bombs.

SP Majid added that possible inefficiency or jail staff connivance would be investigated as the bombs couldn’t have come in to the prison. The jail employee who was hurt in the explosion has been moved to the Patna Medical College.

Chapra jail had seen another jailbreak two years ago and last year some prisoners were shot dead when inmates revolted against jail staff.