In a daring jailbreak, 299 inmates including 110 Naxals escaped from the Dantewada jail in Chattisgarh after prison guards were overpowered in a planned action in which three guards and two undertrials were injured during firing and clashes.

The incident happened around 1635 hours when the inmates were being served food after a lone Naxalite commandar Sujit Kumar overpowered a jail guard inside the prison and snatched his weapon.

Kumar then fired and injured three other guards, Dantewada jail sources told PTI over phone. As many as 377 inmates are in the district prison, about 375 km from the state capital, which is located in a naxal infested area.

The Naxals snatched six rifles of the guards and one wireless set belonging before they fled.

Rahul Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Dantewada said the jail break was a 'premeditated conspiracy' hatched by the undertrials. A search operation has been launched.