India: 10 Under trial Maoists flee from prison throwing chilli powder on police. Two others gunned down by police.

The Naxalites took advantage of the fact that a majority of police and paramilitary forces had been drafted for election duties. The Chaibasa region had gone through the polls in earlier phase and security forces were deployed to other poll bound areas in the state.

Patna: In the daring act, 10 prisoners all Maoists fled the Chaibasa divisional jail in Jharkhand on Tuesday. They threw chili powder on the escort police team, to overpower them, when the prison van carrying the Maoists back from court, was entering  the prison.

The prison gaurds, however, managed to kill two fleeing prisoners, but was unable to stop the rest. However some reports claimed that 15 inmates, including seven Maoists, escaped.

The West Singhbhum district administration has sounded a high alert in and around the district as borders with the adjoining states and districts were sealed

The incident took place on a day when Jharkhand went to polls for the third phase in 17 Assembly constituencies.  

According to officials the Naxals took advantage of the fact that a majority of police and paramilitary  forces have been drafted for election duties.

The Chaibasa region of West Singhbhum district had gone through the polls in earlier phase and security forces were deployed  to other poll bound areas.

"The prisoners were returning from court, while 35 of them entered the prison safely while others tried to flee,” said IG prison, Shailendra Bhushan .

According to police officials three prisoners have received major injuries during shooting by jail gaurds.

“Police has reached the spot and is investigating the incident,” Jhark-hand police spokesperson Anurag Gupta said.

He added that it was quite disturbing to know that 10 hardcore naxals had fled. He said that the police arrests Maoists with great difficulty but after they flee from prison  it becomes all the more difficult to recapture them.

However the police spokesperson couldn’t reply to questions on how the chilli power reached the prisoners

“We have the whole night to recapture the escaped prisoners and we will use full force to nab them. Exit points of the district have been sealed and we are even looking for them in adjoining forest,” Mr Gupta added.

In 2005 Maoists had attacked the Jehanabad jail in Bihar facilitating the escape of about 300 inmates, including 150 Maoists.