2 inmates escape from jail; 1 'run over' by train

Two prisoners escaped from the Etawah district jail in Uttar Pradesh by climbing the boundary wall early Sunday, with police saying one of them died after he was apparently run over by a train.

A railway line runs on the rear side of the jail.

Ramanand and Chandra Prakash, both of whom were serving life sentences in separate murder cases, escaped from the jail around 2 am, using iron rods and tree branches to climb over the walls, an official said.

The incident came to light an hour later when deputy jailor Jagdish Prasad went on a routine inspection, following which a search was launched for the two inmates, Jail Superintendent Raj Kishor Singh said.

"It was during this (search) that the railway police informed (us) about a person being run down by a train. The person was identified as Ramanand (45)," Singh said.

Prima facie Ramanand was run over when he tried to hurriedly board a train, the jail superintendent said, adding that efforts are on to nab Chandra Prakash.

Singh admitted lapses on the part of the jail administration and promised action against those found guilty.

District Magistrate Jitendra Bahadur Singh and the senior superintendent of police visited the jail.

"Laxity was found on the part of officials on duty from midnight to 4 am. How was an iron-cutter sneaked inside the jail?" the district magistrate said.

The official said a magisterial probe has been ordered and a report sent to the state government.