Six escape from Meghalaya jail

Six prisoners, including five militants and a rape convict, escaped on Sunday from Williamnagar district jail in Meghalaya's East Garo Hills by overpowering the prison guards, police said.

"A rape convict and five under trial prisoners, who were members of militants A'chik Songna Anpachakgipa Kotok (ASAK) escaped after they overpowered the prison guards," Inspector General of Police (Operations), G.H.P. Raju told IANS.

He said the prisoners made good of their escape on the pretext of taking out the volleyball from the jail office.

A search operation has been launched by a joint team of Meghalaya's Special Weapons and Tactics and Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) commandos to nab the rebels involved in the incident, Raju said.