In second attempt, undertrial escapes from special cell of Prayagraj jail; 6 warders suspended

He further said, “Jagan was initially kept in circle no. 4 of the jail. Two days after he was sent to prison, he was found to be missing during a head count. He was later found in a godown, and was shifted to a special security cell. During the head count Saturday morning, Jagan was again found missing. A search was conducted inside the jail, but he could not be traced.”

An initial probe found that Jagan allegedly escaped from the cell early Saturday after removing an iron bar from the vent. “It is suspected that Jagan scaled the main boundary wall using a bedsheet. Inquiry is on and we are scrutinising footage of CCTVs installed in the prison,” said DIG Verma.

He added that the FIR was registered at Naini police station under IPC sections 223 (escape from confinement or custody negligently suffered by public servant) and 224 (resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension).

The four homeguards were booked because they were guarding the main wall from where Jagan is suspected to have escaped, said DIG Verma.

When contacted, Station House Officer of Naini police station Pankaj Kumar Singh said, “A police team conducted a raid at Jagan’s house but failed to locate him. We are trying to trace him.” Naini Central Jail currently houses around 4,000 prisoners against its capacity of 2,060.