Undertrial prisoner caught from forest in Odisha

An undertrial prisoner, who had escaped from Malkangiri sub-jail in Odisha recently, was nabbed from a forest early on Sunday.

A special team formed by the jail authorities raided a hideout in the forest near MV-41 village and caught the prisoner, Ajit Dakua, in the early hours, Inspector in-charge of Malkangiri Police Station Ranjan Kumar Sahu said.

Dakua had escaped while a drain was being cleaned inside the jail premises on March 5. The prison authorities had lodged a complaint with the police following which an operation had been launched to trace the accused, police said.

His disappearance came to light when the jail authorities found the prisoner missing during the regular checking at night, sources said.

Dakua was lodged in the jail after he was arrested by the police in Orkel area of the district for illegal supply of ganja in January this year, they said.