Bhubaneswar, October 14: Days after two undertrial prisoners (UTPs) escaped from the Choudwar Circle Jail in Cuttack by scaling the walls on the night of October 2, the Director General of Prisons has written to all the District Magistrates (DMs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) across the State to conduct surprise visits to the jails in their respective jurisdictions.
“District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police have been advised by State Government to undertake regular as well as surprise inspections/visits of the jails with their respective jurisdictions. Such visits supplement the efforts by way of regular visit by senior officers of Prisons Directorate in maintaining discipline and transparency in jail administration, as well as contribute to improve the livening conditions and welfare of the inmates,” the letter stated.
"It is, therefore, requested to undertake surprise joint or individual visits to all jails under your jurisdiction at regular interval and submit detailed inspection reports to this Directorate for review and necessary action,” it added.
The development came after two dreaded criminals identified as Raja Sahani from Lohia Nagar and Madhukant Kumar from Rampur in Bihar, who were lodged at the Choudwar jail as UTPs escaped from the prison exposing serious lapses in the security arrangements at the jail. The two were arrested on January 4 for allegedly committing a robbery at a jewellery shop in Panikoili in Jajpur district and killing two people during the heist. They were moved from Ragadi sub-jail of the district to Choudwar Jail a few months back for security reasons.
Both the hardcore criminals, had made several escape attempts in the recent past. On July 21, jail staff found two broken saw blades in their possession during a search.
Meanwhile, Choudwar Jail Superintendent Santoshini Dash has been transferred to Kantabanji Sub-Jail following the security breach while the two escapees are yet to be nabbed.
