Undertrial accused in Bhanwari Devi case escapes

Jakhar escaped when his accomplices opened fire to create panic in the court premises. Police arrested one of them identified as Hanuman Ram and seized a vehicle from the spot.

Jakhar and Bishana Ram Bishnoi, who were under Judicial Custody, were taken to the local court in connection with a case of firing. They were under the custody of five security personnel.

In the court, around a dozen people were already waiting for them and three vehicles were kept stationary around the premises.

"As soon as the security personnel and both the accused came out of the court room after trial, they opened fire to create panic and abducted Jakhar," Jodhpur Police Commissioner Bhupendra Dak said.

"Police retaliated and opened fire at them. Bishnoi also wanted to escape but he could not escape," he said.

Dak said one of the persons Hanuman Ram was arrested and two vehicles was seized-- one form the spot and one from the outskirts of the city.

"It was a serious lapse in security. Since both the accused are involved in several criminal cases, we had asked the jail authorities to produce them in the court with handcuffs but the accused were without handcuffs today," he said.

Jakhar and Bishnoi are accused in the Bhanwari Devi abduction and murder case but they were taken in the local court for trial in some other case today.

Several police teams have been dispatched to different places in search of Jakhar, he added.