CUTTACK: An inmate serving life sentence in a double-murder case at the Athagarh model convict jail in Cuttack’s Ranibania escaped from the prison on Thursday afternoon, exposing the laxity and systemic vulnerability in the security infrastructure at the facility.
The escaped inmate, identified as Sunil Jena (30) belongs to Dharmasala locality in Jajpur. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in a double-murder case six years ago. Jena was initially lodged in the Jajpur jail and transferred to the Athagarh model convict jail in April this year. Jail sources said the matter came to light during the usual roll call of the inmates at around 1.30 pm. After finding him missing during the roll call, the jail staff started searching for him but he was nowhere to be found.
Later on verifying the CCTV footages, the jail staff confirmed that Jena had escaped the prison. The footages revealed that he climbed a pipe near the visitation room located close to the main gate after which he scaled the perimeter wall by crossing the barbed wire fence and fled through the nearby forest. Jailor Sudhansu Behera lodged an FIR in this connection with Khuntuni police, basing on which the cops launched a manhunt to nab Jena.