Pretending to look for Sita, prisoners escape during Ram-Leela performance
Two inmates escaped from Roshanabad jail in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, during a Ram Leela performance on Friday. The duo, identified as Pankaj and Rajkumar, were playing the roles of "Vaanar" (monkey) in the play and reportedly left to "search" for Sita's character. However, they never returned to the prison premises after their stage exit. The absence of these two prisoners was noticed around 8:00pm that day.
Inmates used ladder to flee, raising security concerns
The inmates escaped by jumping over the boundary wall of the jail with the help of a ladder. The incident was confirmed through CCTV footage, which showed both Pankaj and Rajkumar fleeing. The escaped inmates were serving sentences for serious crimes. They had been convicted of murder and kidnapping, respectively. The Roshanabad jail has been organizing Ram Leela performances every year during the Navratri festival for the past three years as part of its rehabilitation program.
