A year after Jehanabad jailbreak, 70 prisoners still missing

Even a year after the daring Jehanabad jailbreak by Naxalites, in which 388 prisoners fled or were freed, about 70 are still missing. Police have failed to arrest them.

On the night of November 13, 2005, armed Naxalites stormed a jail in Jehanabad district, freed most of the Naxalite inmates and allowed other inmates to flee.

This was first incident of its kind in the Naxalite stronghold of Jehanabad.

"About 70 prisoners who fled from jail that night are still missing. Police have failed to arrest them," a senior official of the Bihar prison department told rediff.com on Monday .

According to Jehanabad jail officials, most of the prisoners who had fled have returned to the jail following an appeal made by the district administration. Some surrendered and some were arrested by police .

Official sources said those who were still missing included hardcore Naxalites guerrillas and Ajay Kanu of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist, who is believed to have masterminded the jailbreak.

Police officials said combating operation against Naxalites are on to arrest missing prisoners, mostly Naxalites and activists belonging to Ranvir Sena, a private army of the upper caste.