Chodavaram (PTI): Two undertrials have escaped from a prison here in Anakapalli district after attacking the jail head warden, an official said on Saturday.
"Two remand prisoners, Ramu (27) and Kumar (30), escaped from Chodavaram sub-jail around 4 pm on Friday after hitting the head warden with a hammer," Anakapalli Superintendent of Police Tuhin Sinha told PTI.
Kumar, a panchayat secretary, who was on remand since April, hit the head warden with a hammer while returning the jail's kitchen keys after completing his cooking duties, he said.
During the ensuing melee between head warden V Veera Raju (45) and Kumar, Ramu rushed towards another room where guards were sleeping to lock it from outside to prevent them from helping the injured and bleeding warden, said Sinha.
Later, the duo managed to steal the main door's keys from the warden to flee, all of which occurred in two to three minutes and was captured on CCTV, said the SP.
Following this jail break, Sinha said, a case of attempt to murder and escape from lawful custody was booked against Ramu and Kumar.
According to Sinha, Ramu is a property offender who has six cases against him both in Anakapalli and Visakhapatnam city. He was arrested and remanded by the Anakapalli district police.
Kumar, the main attacker and a government employee, was involved in criminal misappropriation of a pension fund and was arrested in Ananthagiri police station limits of Alluri Sitaramaraju (ASR) district, he said.
"He (Kumar) was remanded by the ASR district police. He was in jail since April. It has already been five months for him. Yesterday, this panchayat secretary was involved in cooking in the sub-jail," said Sinha.
Further, Sinha observed that Chodavaram Sub-Jail is a small prison which can accommodate only 16 inmates and there were 10 yesterday.
Meanwhile, several police teams are on the hunt to capture Ramu and Kumar while Sinha expressed confidence that they will be nabbed soon.
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Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) (PTI): Ten people were killed when a van collided head-on with a truck on the Sisaiya-Lakhimpur national highway on Monday, police said.
The van was going to Sisaiya from Lakhimpur when the accident took place between Unchgaon and Bharehta villages.
Circle Officer of Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, said all nine passengers travelling in the van and the driver were killed.
District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters that the van collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, leading to nine casualties on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries at the district hospital.
Circle Officer, Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh told PTI, "Efforts are on to establish the identity of other deceased persons."
The seven of the deceased have been identified as Jaideep Singh (25), Pawan (23), Sohan (21), Ram Goyal (42), Sahajram (35), Pappu (18), all residents of Bahraich district and Adnan Khan (15), a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri district, police said.
Condoling the loss of lives in the accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a post on X, said, "The loss of life in the unfortunate road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply distressing and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."
"I have directed the local administration to provide prompt and adequate assistance to the injured and the victims. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at His divine feet and to bestow a speedy recovery upon the injured," Adityanath said on X.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak too condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
"The loss of lives resulting from the road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply tragic and heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families," Maurya said.
