Kin of a prisoner had passed a hacksaw blade while giving him food during visiting hours

Kathmandu, August 12

Four prisoners fled from the underground jail at Metropolitan Police Circle, Singha Durbar, in the wee hours of August 10.

Police have arrested three of the escapees with one still at large.

The police outpost is probably the most secure police station given the number of security personnel deployed and sensitivity of the area. Since the country’s major administrative hub Singha Durbar lies just outside its perimeter, it holds the responsibility of maintaining peace and security in the area.

The prisoners were able to escape through the cell’s ventilation of around one square feet area, which was secured by iron rods. Just outside and below the ventilation lies barbed wires and the police station is surrounded by approximately 10 to 12 feet high boundary wall. However, from one side of the wall, one can easily get into a garden of a private house, which is around 20 metres away from the Anamnagar main road.

According to a high-level police source, Karan Moktan, a family member of one of the prisoners, had passed a hacksaw blade while giving him food during visiting hours at the police station.

All the four escapees were inside the cell for a minimum of 22 days. As many as 28 other prisoners were kept in two adjacent cells inside the building throughout the time.

“The prisoners must have used the hacksaw blade to cut down the iron railing in the cell for several days,” the police source said.

The police circle has around 150 police personnel working under the leadership of one deputy superintendent of police.

A police official saw that one of the prisoners was trying to escape by climbing the boundary wall and immediately alerted other police officials.

DSP Kausal Budhathoki of the circle said he was sleeping when his subordinates informed him of the prisoners’ escape. “We started chasing them and were able to nab two of the escapees from a narrow alley at Ghattekulo, which is around 500 metres from the police station,” he said. However, two other prisoners could not be caught and were able to escape.

Among the arrested escapees were Anil Thapa, 24, and Subba Lama, 25, who were facing charges of dealing and trading in illegal drugs and motorcycle theft.

Metropolitan Police Range, Teku, which overtook the search mission of nabbing the escapees, arrested yet another escapee Sukalal Waiba from Dakshindhoka this morning.

Police refused to make public the name of the prisoner who is still at large, citing security reasons.

The escape of four prisoners from such a sensitive police outpost has raised questions regarding the safety of police stations across the country.

In a similar incident, three prisoners had escaped from the Metropolitan Police Sector in Bhainsepati of Lalitpur district on July 8. Police arrested all of them later.