Four under-trial prisoners (UTPs) attacked the police and managed to escape from court premises here on Thursday while they were being escorted back to jail after being presented in the court. Two police personnel were injured while three of the four UTPs were later nabbed.
The four prisoners were identified as Sannyasi Sahu, Jogendra Mallik, Narayana Sahu and Manas Sahani. They had been arrested in February, 2015. Hand-cuffed, they had been presented before the Executive Magistrate Court in Baragarh. However, after the trial was over, they were being brought back when they kicked Havildar Debendra Kumar Dhurua and Constable Jhamu Bhoi and set them free. later, they fled the court campus.
The injured police personnel were rushed to the hospital. Havildar Dhurua was shifted to VIMSAR Burla in a critical condition. His knee bone had factures. UTP Sannyasi Sahu was still absconding.
In yet another incident in Baleswar Jail on Wednesday night, a raid conducted by a joint team of police and district administration headed by the Additional District Magistrate unravelled several pouches of guthka ,khaini, a few packets of cigarettes and bidi bundles. The raid lasted for more than two hours from 2 am to 4.30 am.
Baleswar SP Niti Sekhar and other senior police officials, including additional SP and DSPs, IICs of several police stations and guards were deployed in the raid. “About 50 packets of gutkha and khaini, three packets of cigarettes and about 10 bundles of bidi were found. No cash, arms or narcotics were found. Mobile phones, SIM cards or chargers too were not found,” Jail Superintendent Surendranath Pattnayak said.
It may be noted here that hardcore criminal Sushil Dhalsamant is lodged in Baleswar Jail as an UTP since second week of March after he was shifted from Choudwar Jail on the direction of court. He is lodged in a separate cell, said jail sources.