RANCHI: Three under-trial prisoners, who had tested positive for coronavirus, escaped from COVID-19 centre in Pakur, around 350 kilometres Ranchi.
The COVID-19 centre had been set up at a marketing complex, especially for infected jail inmates.
According to police, the three under-trial prisoners, each hailing from Sahibganj, Dumka and Pakur, escaped from the fourth floor of the marketing complex by breaking open the window grill of the bathroom and using bedsheets as rope.
A total of 34 jail inmates are lodged in the COVID-19 centre set up in the four-storied building, located opposite to the Town Police Station.
“The incident took place at around 4 am early in the morning on Sunday, where three of the 34 under-trial prisoners lodged in the building, escaped through the bathroom window and climbed down from the fourth floor making use of bed-sheets and other clothes available for them,” said Pakur Jail SuperintendentPramod Kumar Das.
Police sources, however, said that one of the prisoners has been nabbed as he had broken his leg while climbing down from the marketing complex, while the hunt is still on for the other two. Earlier on Monday, another under-trial prisoner, who is the prime accused of killing BJP leader Jaivardhan Singh, had also escaped from COVID-19 centre in Latehar through a ventilator, but was later nabbed by police on Friday.
After testing positive for coronavirus Singh was lodged in Rajhar COVID-19 centre in Latehar.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand has registered 12188 cases of coronavirus so far, out of which4513 patients have already recovered and discharged from hospitals. A total of 822 new cases were tested positive on Saturday itself. COVID-19 has claimed115 deaths in Jharkhand so far.