The prisoners, who escaped on Tuesday, are yet to be caught.
From the Great Train Robbery to the Great Escape, these undertrials have done it all. And their feat was aided by cops who seemed to have 'forgotten' the first rule of policing - when you have a prisoner, keep him locked up.
Seven men arrested for carrying out thefts in trains were supposed to be produced before the Railway Court in Jhansi on Tuesday. They were taken to the court in a van and the policemen that were supposed to be guarding them decided to grab a bite to eat. A source said that not only did all the cops go to eat together, but they also left the door of the police van unlocked.
CCTV footage from the spot shows a police SUV cross the van as one of the prisoners slowly opens the door, looks in both directions, takes a couple of tentative steps and then makes a run for it. Another prisoner follows close behind, and yet another leaves the van, but decides to run in the other direction.
The escape of the three train robbers, who are yet to be caught, has led to eight policemen being suspended and a case being filed against them.
"Three undertrials, Gayaprasad, Shailendra and Brijendra, managed to escape. A case has been filed against Sub-Inspectors Rajendra Anuragi, Pankaj Singh and Suresh Singh, Head Constables Shivpal Singh, Sunil Kumar, Sandeep and Deependra, and Constable Anil. A case has also been filed against the prisoners who escaped," said a police officer.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Jhansi, Rajesh S, said, "The three prisoners escaped when they were taken to be presented before the railway magistrate. The Government Railway Police has registered the case. Two teams of the Jhansi Police and a SWAT team are working to apprehend them, and they will be caught soon. After an investigation into the alleged negligence, eight policemen have been suspended on Thursday."