2 coronavirus positive jail inmates escape from COVID care centre in Maharashtra

The two prisoners had recently tested positive for coronavirus and were being treated at Maharashtra’s Aurangabad COVID care centre

Aurangabad: Two prisoners who recently tested positive for coronavirus escaped from a COVID care centre in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district, a prison official said on Monday.

The duo bent the grills of a window to make space to sneak out and used bed sheets as ropes to climb down from their room at the facility late Sunday night, he said.

A prison employee has been suspended and a case has been registered at Begumpura Police Station, he said.

"Teams have been sent out and search for the prisoners is on," a jail official told PTI.

A couple of days ago, 29 undertrial prisoners of Harsul jail tested positive for coronavirus. They were later sent to a COVID care centre for treatment.

The two inmates, Sayyed Saif and Akramkhan, both residents of Aurangabad, escaped from the facility around 10:45 pm on Sunday, the official said.

Saif was facing trial for offences of cheating and forgery, while Akramkhan was arrested in a case of murder and criminal conspiracy, he said.

After the 29 prisoners tested positive for coronavirus, 15 rooms at a COVID care centre in Kileark area were identified for their treatment.

As many as 14 jail personnel, including two officers, were deployed there in two shifts and the rooms of prisoners were kept locked from outside, the official said.

Security personnel chased after them in nearby areas, but the duo escaped taking advantage of the darkness, he said.

With PTI Inputs