GUWAHATI: Meghalaya police on Monday arrested five officials of the Jowai district jail after Saturday’s incident of jailbreak even as a magisterial inquiry was ordered into Sunday’s lynching of four of the six escapees by a mob in West Jaintia Hills.
Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui told the Assembly on Monday that an SP was heading a separate probe by the police into the incident of jailbreak. He said a mob of not less than 5,000 people had carried out the attack.
The escapees include five under-trial prisoners and a convict who was undergoing his jail term. The minister appealed to people not to take the law into their hands and cooperate with the police.
Official sources said an ADM would head the magisterial inquiry and the report would be submitted by September 19.
West Jaintia Hills District Magistrate Batlang S Sohliya told this newspaper, “One of those who escaped from the jail is absconding while another is in the custody of the police. He was caught by the mob but rescued by the police. He is fine now.”
The six had escaped after attacking and overpowering the prison security personnel.
According to reports, the arrested officials had allegedly connived with the escapees and facilitated their escape.
After their daring escape, the six had divided themselves into two groups of five and one.
When the locals spotted the five at Shangpung in the district on Sunday afternoon, they attacked them with sticks and rods.
Four of them had lost their lives in the incident.
The victims came under the locals’ glare when they had gone out from a hideout to buy food for them.