Kalaburagi (Karnataka), July 14 (IANS) Three convicted prisoners escaped from the high-security Kalaburagi Central Prison in the early hours of Tuesday, triggering a massive manhunt and raising serious concerns over prison security in Kalaburagi, the home district of Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge.

The prisoners escaped at around 3 a.m. by scaling the prison’s 15 to 20-foot-high compound wall.

The escape has prompted the police department to sound a statewide alert, while prison authorities are investigating whether jail staff or other insiders assisted the inmates.

The escaped prisoners have been identified as Mastaan, Santosh and Sagar, all of whom were convicted in a murder case.

According to police, the trio used blankets, clothes and pillow covers tied together to fashion a makeshift rope, enabling them to climb over the prison wall before fleeing.

A case has been registered at the Farhatabad Police Station in Kalaburagi, and an investigation is underway.

Kalaburagi Police Commissioner S.D. Sharanappa, along with other senior police officials, visited the prison and inspected the site.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the inmates had been planning the jailbreak for the past two to three days.

Investigators are also probing the possibility of insider involvement in the escape.

Suspicion has been raised that prison personnel may have assisted the inmates, as questions remain over why the prisoners, who were supposed to be confined to their prison cells during the night, were allegedly outside at the time of the escape.

The incident has also brought the functioning of the prison’s security system under scrutiny.

Despite round-the-clock surveillance, CCTV monitoring and security personnel deployed at the prison, including CISF personnel, the three inmates managed to escape without being intercepted.

Officials are treating the incident as a major security lapse, and disciplinary action is being considered against prison officers found negligent in the discharge of their duties.

Police are examining CCTV footage, questioning prison staff and verifying whether any officials facilitated the escape.

Investigators are also trying to determine whether the inmates received external assistance after escaping from the prison.

Following the jailbreak, police have launched an intensive search operation and issued a high alert across Karnataka to trace and apprehend the escaped convicts.

Multiple police teams have been formed, and neighbouring districts have been alerted to prevent the fugitives from evading arrest.

–IANS

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