Ahmedabad: : Five hardcore undertrial prisoners escaped from police custody on Ahmedabad-Jamnagar road in the wee hours of today (May 25, 2004)

The five undertrials, who were being taken back to Jamnagar after a hearing in a local court, escaped into the bushes when the convoy stopped on the highway, Jamnagar District Superintendent of Police Manoj Sashidhar said in Ahmedabad today.

An inquiry has been set up to probe the reasons behind the escape and a manhunt has been launched to re-capture them and alerts have been sounded to officials at Porbandar, Junagadh and Rajkot, he said.

The DSP, without mentioning any names or ranks, said the involvement of policemen in helping the prisoners flee is also being investigated as there was strong suspicion of their role.

Of the five, three were notorious criminals involved in motor vehicle theft and house breaks across the district, he said adding, all of them belonged to the Sandhi tribe which was notorious for such activities.

While four of them were identified as Anvarsha, Bikhusha, Ismail alias Bhurio and Mohumadsha Osmansha, the fifth could not be identified yet.

Officials had to open fire at the fleeing undertrials but none was hurt, the DSP said adding, all efforts were on to re-capture them. On March four, ten prisoners escaped from the prison in Anand district of Gujarat after injuring two security guards.