Five undertrial prisoners who were lodged in local jail here near the police lines, escaped by jumping walls of the jail, an official said.
All of them jumped walls of the jail last evening and a massive manhunt has been launched to nab them, Jail Superintendent Chand Prakash Sharma said here.
Avnish Kumar of Mandi district, Karamjit of Una district, Bansi Lal of Chamba, Sher Mohammed of Hamirpur and Vicky of Kangra were facing charges under murder, dacoity and drugs supply cases, escaped the jail, he said.
These undertrials were found missing in their cells when routine counting was done in the evening hours yesterday, he said.
There are about 75 undertrials lodged in the Hamirpur jail.
Hamirpur SP Ajau Bodh said a manhunt is on to nab the escaped criminals.
