Coming as another embarrassment for the Himachal Pradesh police, three under-trial inmates gave the slip to the security of the Model Central Jail, Kanda, on Tuesday night.

The undertrials of Nepalese origin fled the Kanda jail situated at Ghanahatti in Shimla on Tuesday night and the escape came to be known on Wednesday morning. All the three escapees are facing trial in serious cases like rape and murder.

Those who fled the jail include leeladhar (22), Pratap Singh(27) and Prem Bahadur (22). leeladhar, who hails from Satyam district in Nepal is facing a murder trial. Pratap Singh and Prem Bahadur both from Rukkam district are facing rape charges. Pratap Singh is accused of raping a minor girl.

The accused were last seen in jail on Tuesday night but were found missing on Wednesday morning.

Sources said the prisoners crossed the outer wall of the jail climbing on a pipe of an under-construction building inside the prison. The absconders left their foot wear in jail only and were apparently barefoot in the forest area.

Two constables deputed outside the cell of the absconding prisoners have been put on suspension for negligence in duty.

Confirming the prison break, Director General of police, Somesh Goyal said that an alert was issued particularly in Solan, Sirmaur and Bilaspur districts. He said that a case had been registered at Boileau Ganj police station. He admitted it was a case of sheer negligence by the staff posted on night duty.

Soumya Sambasivan, Superintendent of Police, Shimla visited Kanda jail on Wednesday morning and said that the police had launched a massive search operation to nab the escapees.

How did the prisoners crossed the security was an issue to be investigated, said Suprintendent of Jail, Sushil Kumar Thakur. He said that negligence on part of the security guards had come to the fore and two of them had been suspended. He said that the lapses in the security were being investigated.