In a scene straight out of a Bollywood film, two cunning inmates exploited the festive atmosphere of a prison Ramleela performance to make a daring escape. Rajkumar, an undertrial, and Pankaj, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, were literally playing the role of 'vaanar' (monkey) when they vanished from the Haridwar district jail. Their theatrical "search for Goddess Sita" turned into a real-life quest for freedom, leaving authorities red-faced and scrambling for answers.
The escape, which occurred during Friday's performance, was discovered when the two failed to return to the stage. The duo scaling the prison walls using a ladder brought in for ongoing construction work. This incident has raised serious questions about the lax security measures in place, especially during the annual Ramleela event.
Haridwar District Magistrate Karmendra Singh didn't mince words, placing the blame squarely on the jail administration's "ignorance." He stated, "Taking advantage of the ongoing construction and the Ramleela performance, the prisoners used a ladder to escape. This is a clear case of negligence." An FIR has been lodged, and both departmental and magisterial inquiries have been initiated.
