14 undertrials escape during Ganesh festival in Goa

PANAJI: Fourteen undertrials managed to escape during Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations after assaulting four jail guards last night in Margao judicial lock-up, about 30 km from here, police said on Sunday.

An intensive combing operation has been launched to nab the undertrials who escaped when they were brought out of their cell to participate in Ganesh festival prayers.

Of the 14, six were being tried in connection with murder, robbery and dacoity, police said.

The jail authorities informed police about the incident only this morning, resulting in delay in search operation.

In what seemed to be a pre-planned act, the undertrials assaulted jail guards and locked them in a cell before running away, police said.

Superintendent of Police Shekhar Prabhudesai said the undertrials were brought out from their cell to offer prayers during the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration when they escaped.

"We got intimation in the morning and immediately the search operation was initiated," Prabhudesai said.

Police have a kept close watch on the Kadamba Transport Corporation bus terminals, Konkan Railway stations and have also sealed state borders.

"Few of these undertrials are originally hailing from Karnataka and Maharashtra... We are checking almost all the passing vehicles," the SP said.

No arrests have been made so far, police added.