Three jail employees suspended in Odisha

Three officials of the special sub-jail at Bhanjanagara in Ganjam district have been suspended for alleged negligence of duty that led to the escape of an undertrial prisoner.

Senior Superintendent of Circle Jail, Berhampur, B B Patnaik placed a head warder and two warders under suspension on Saturday on the basis of the findings of an inquiry into the escape of the undertrial prisoner from the sub-jail on September 11, an official said Sunday.

The suspended jail employees were identified as Simanchal Behera, the head warder and Amulya Pal and Sushant Dehuri, the two warders. They were on duty at the time of the incident.

Patnaik has also ordered transfer of the assistant jailor of the prison Smitarani Khatua, who was in-charge of the Bhanjanagara special sub-jail.

In Khatua's place, Sarbeswar Sahu, jailor of Banapur sub-jail, has been posted at Bhanjanagara.

Patnaik said action would be taken against some more employees of the sub-jail after thorough investigation.

On September 11, the undertrial prisoner, Babu Nayak, allegedly involved in over 40 cases, had escaped from the special sub-jail by scaling the wall.