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Taking a cue from Bollywood, Haryana undertrials make good their escape

Prisoners in Haryana are looking towards Bollywood for inspirational ideas to escape from police custody.

They have now begun using chilli powder to escape from escorting policemen, taking the cue from the chilli revolt in Bollywood movie Mirch Masala.

The biggest success story was on January nine last year when nine undertrials escaped from a police van at Pipli after spraying chilli powder in the eyes of escorting guards. The undertrials were being taken from Karnal to Ambala central jail after a court hearing.

The escapees included notorious criminal Phoola, who was facing 27 cases in different courts. This escape had led to the suspension or dismissal of 23 policemen.

The most recent escape was that of Surender Kumar Mehla last month. While being escorted to local court, Mehla's nine accomplices threw chilli powder in the eyes of two escorts to help his escape.

Earlier, in August 1997, three prisoners had escaped from Kurukshetra jail in a similar fashion.

With the escape of undertrial Salim last week, the number of criminals who have used this modus operandi to escape from police custody during the past two years in this district has come to 15.

The Salim incident occurred just a week after Mehla gave the slip to the police. He was recuperating in hospital and was being guarded by four policemen. Mehla and Salim are now at large.

On September nine, Luxmi Narain, arrested by the Thanesar police, managed to escape after breaking open the lock-up door and unbolting the main gate of the police station. He, however, was re-arrested two days later.

UNI

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