Eight undertrials escape from sub-jail in K'taka

Tumkur, Karnataka, July 13 (UNI) Eight undertrials escaped from the sub-jail here in the early hours of today by digging a hole from a toilet.

Acting swiftly, police secured three of them from different parts of the city after launching a massive search operation.

The incident occurred past midnight when the undertrials, using the handle of an iron bucket, dug a hole from the toilet of Barrack-6 in which 12 were lodged. Eight of them set themselves free, while four others preferred to remain in the cell. Two of them faced murder charges, six were offenders in theft cases.

Director General of Police (Central Range) Doreswamy Naik told reporters that two of the prisoners were secured immediately after the jail-break incident, while another was nabbed a little later.

a Search was on to nab others, he said.

He said the jail was not secure enough as the building had become very old. Though it could accommodate only 69 inmates, about 240 prisoners and undertrials had been kept there at present. The jail was also understaffed as only 17 jail staff were posted there, he added.

UNI