In an incident which left the Bangalore Central Jail authorities red-faced, one of its convicts Manjunath, posed as a visitor and escaped from the prison premises. The 30-year-old belongs to Karnataka's Chitrdurga district, and is serving a life term.
"He has spent close to seven years in prison which might have made him familiar with the protocols of the prison department that gave him confidence to casually deal with police personnel posted at gates for duty," said one of the officials.
A visitors' seal which Manjunath managed to get his hands on is believed to be the reason for his escape, reports The Indian Express.
"The moment we found Manjunath missing during the roll call on Friday evening we launched a manhunt which lasted overnight and continues as we speak. We are sure he has not reached quite far and we will nab him soon," the senior official said.
"We have examined the CCTV footage – Manjunath was challenged at least three times at different gates by our officials, and one of our constables Pundalika asked him to leave, to which Manjunath pretended to go back to the cell."
"But as the constable went out of sight, Manjunath, in plain clothes, loitered (for) four minutes around the main gate and told authorities that he had come for parole extension and even showed a visitor seal stamped on his hand as a proof. Since new admission was going on, officials were busy frisking new entrants and their belongings, and believed in the convincing version of the inmate and let him go."
"It was nothing but miscommunication between the duty officials and a stroke of luck that played in Manjunath's favour to escape," the official added.
This is not the first instance that a prisoner has escaped from Bangalore Central Jail. In September 2013, rape accused Jaishankar managed to get away, only to be nabbed a few days later.
