New Delhi: Four under trial prisoners, who escaped from jail, were allegedly killed by a mob in Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills district.
A group of six prisoners escaped from the Jowai jail on September 10 after they overpowered the jail staff. A tweet by West Jaintia Hills Police identified the prisoners as I Love You Talang, Rikmenlang Lamare, Lodestar Tang, Marsanki Tariang, Shidorki Dkhar and Ramesh Dkhar.
According to police, five of them reached Shangpung village, September 11, about 70 km away.
Around 3 pm, when one of the prisoners went to a tea shop to buy food, he was identified by locals who alerted the entire area, village headman R. Rabon told news agency PTI.
A large number of people allegedly turned up and chased the group of prisoners into a nearby forest. A purported video of the incident showed angry villagers beating the four mercilessly with sticks and rods.
Four prisoners died in the attack while one managed to escape, Rabon said.
Inspector-General of Prisons J.K. Marak said, “It is true that a group of villagers apprehended four of the escaped prisoners and subsequently lynched them. Our officers have reached the area and I am awaiting more information.”
Officials said one prisoner, Ramesh Dkhar, managed to escape the mob. The sixth prisoner was nowhere to be seen during the attack.
“Two prisoners were arrested in the murders of taxi drivers in August,” police said.
Superintendent of Police of West Jaintia Hills B.K. Marak said police officers are at the spot and “conducting spot inquiry and other necessary formalities”.
“A case has been registered in the Jowai police station against the prison staff and five of them have been arrested so far. Among the arrested prison staffers are one head warden and four wardens,” he said. The Wire
