MAPUSA
Citing serious lapses on the part of the Colvale jail staff, senior prison authorities on Wednesday have decided to suspend a jail guard and two other staff over the escape of the under trial from the Central jail.
Meanwhile, the prisoner whose escape baffled jail authorities is still at large even as police and jail officials continued to search for him.
Mapusa Police have circulated the details of the accused to all border check-points and police stations in the State.
The accused, who was undergoing trial for allegedly raping and robbing a British woman, had escaped from the high-security jail early Tuesday morning.
“Three officers “ the jail guard who allowed the prisoner to go without escort, and two people above him “ will be placed under suspension immediately tomorrow (Thursday) morning. We have found out there are clear lapses on their part,” said Ashutosh Apte, Additional Inspector General of Prison.
He said the authorities were taking the matter very seriously and further inquiry will be held in the entire incident that led to the escape of the under trial.
“This kind of thing is unpardonable. There is zero tolerance to such mischief. Whoever is involved will be taken to task,” Apte added.
Meanwhile, senior officials once again visited the Central jail on Wednesday and inspected all the sites inside and outside the jail to ascertain whether there was a possibility of the accused escaping by climbing over the walls and is he had left any marks while trying to escape.
“We were not able to see any such tell-tale signs. All the routes end up to the main gate. So, in case he has to move out, he has to from the main gate,” the Additional IGP said.
Interestingly, certain gates of the jail premises are manned by the personnel of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) and some are manned by security guards of Human Resource Development Corporation.
“If someone has to move out then they have to cross different security agencies. The outer gate is with the IRB and the inner is with the human resource. Besides, the outermost walls have five watchtowers which are manned by the IRB personnel for 24 hours,” Apte informed.
The alleged rape accused, Ramchandrappa Yellapa (32), a native of Tamil Nadu is under trial for allegedly raping and robbing a British woman near Palolem beach in Canacona in December 2018.
Yellapa is accused of being involved in a Rs 32-lakh robbery in Morjim in the same year.
