Khandwa: In a major embarrassment to the Madhya Pradesh police,
seven prisoners facing serious charges escaped from a jail in the
Khandwa district early Tuesday morning after stabbing two policemen. One
of the prisoners has been caught.
Six of the men belong to the Students Islamic Movement of India or SIMI, which was banned in 2001 over its alleged terror links. Mehboob, Abu Fazal Khan, Amjad Khan, Aslam, Ijazuddin and Zakir Husain, all face murder and attempted murder charges.
The seventh, Abid Ansari, was caught hours after the daring jailbreal. He is accused of planting a bomb in a hospital two years ago.
The prisoners reportedly sneaked out at around 3 am, after breaking the
wall of a toilet, and scaled the boundary wall of the jail. They
allegedly attacked and wounded two constables who tried to stop them,
with a knife. The prisoners also reportedly snatched their rifles.
State Home Minister Uma Shanker Gupta has ordered an investigation into the security lapse. "There is no doubt there has been negligence in security," the minister said.
The police have launched a massive combing operation in the area, 300 km from state capital Bhopal.
Six of the men belong to the Students Islamic Movement of India or SIMI, which was banned in 2001 over its alleged terror links. Mehboob, Abu Fazal Khan, Amjad Khan, Aslam, Ijazuddin and Zakir Husain, all face murder and attempted murder charges.
The seventh, Abid Ansari, was caught hours after the daring jailbreal. He is accused of planting a bomb in a hospital two years ago.
State Home Minister Uma Shanker Gupta has ordered an investigation into the security lapse. "There is no doubt there has been negligence in security," the minister said.
The police have launched a massive combing operation in the area, 300 km from state capital Bhopal.