Kavre, November 21:

The police have arrested one of the three prisoners, who escaped from the Dhulikhel prison 23 days ago. The Valley crime investigation headquarters at Hanumandhoka arrested Kamal Bahadur Thapamagar and handed him over to the Kavre police yesterday.

Dhulikhel prison officials said that of the three who escaped with police collusion, Dailekh native former Nepal Army soldier Bhakta Bahadur Shahi was jailed for rape, while Uttam Bahadur Thapamagar and Kamal Bahadur Thapamagar were jailed for robbery.

The Kavre district police office said jail security personnel assistant sub-inspector Ram Krishna Thapa, constables Shree Krishna Thapa and Saila Tamang have been charged with helping the three prisoners escape through the main gate of the prison.

Prison chief warden Matrika Dahal said the probe by the district police would be over by tomorrow and the prison administration would file a case against the three security personnel.

Inspector at the district police office Binod Silwal said a search is on for the other two escapees. Bagmati zone police chief Yadav Adhikari and prison department director Uddhav Bhatt have recommended stern action against the three security personnel.