Prisoners Escape Haridwar Jail Ramleela Dressed as Monkeys Searching for Maa Sita

Haridwar: In a surprising jailbreak, two prisoners, including a murder convict, escaped from the Haridwar district jail on Friday night, officials said on Saturday. The incident took place during a Ramleela performance at the jail, offering the perfect cover for the escapees.

The inmates, identified as Pankaj and Rajkumar, were playing the roles of monkeys in the Ramayana-inspired play. "Authorities in Uttarakhand are searching for two prisoners who left a Haridwar jail’s annual Ramleela on the pretext of finding Sita – only to never return," officials stated.

Pankaj, serving a life sentence for murder, and Rajkumar, an undertrial for kidnapping, made their escape from Roshnabad Jail. They took advantage of the ongoing construction at the prison, using a ladder to scale the boundary wall and disappear into the night.

The jailbreak occurred while they were acting in a scene where the Vanara Sena, led by Hanuman, searches for Sita after her abduction by Ravana. "Two of these Vanaras headed out during the act, giving their unsuspecting audience the impression that they were on a mission to find the protagonist. However, in truth, the prisoners were executing their escape," reports said.

Senior officials, including Senior Superintendent of Police Pramendra Singh Doval and District Magistrate Kamendra Singh, visited the jail on Saturday to inspect the situation. A forensic team and a dog squad were called in to investigate further.

Authorities are probing the security lapse, and a search operation to apprehend the duo has been launched.