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Were jail authorities involved in Madhya Pradesh jailbreak?

Last updated on: October 01, 2013 18:27 IST

The embarrassing incident in which alleged activists of the Students Islamic Movement of India got away from a Madhya Pradesh jail is being probed by the government.

The jail authorities claimed the prisoners broke a wall in the toilet and managed to escape.

A thorough probe is on and jail authorities are being questioned as there is suspicion of insiders being involved, said a senior official in the Madhya Pradesh home department.

The Home Ministry of India has sought a detailed report on the incident, which the state home department is likely to file in the next three days.

In all, seven persons managed to escape, but one was nabbed and brought back to jail. The person who was nabbed was booked for planting a bomb at a local hospital in Khandwa.

The other six were charged of an offence relating to assault of a policeman in Madhya Pradesh. The police had tried to establish a link between them and Safdar Nagori, the leader of the radical SIMI. However the case appeared weak.

Sources say that these persons would have got the benefit of doubt in court. However, now they have committed a grave punishable offence by escaping from jail which makes the case for the police stronger against them. The police would now question the seventh person who was nabbed and his testimony will help seal the case.

Vicky Nanjappa in Bangalore