What seems to be a plot directly lifted from Bollywood blockbuster `Sholay’, two convicted hardened criminals fled from the custody of jail officials after reportedly taking them at gun point in lakhimpur Kheri on Wednesday morning. Senior officials included district police chief of Kheri, Arvind Sen, rushed to the spot and claimed to have launched a massive hunt for the miscreants.
Separate teams have been also formed for the purpose and help of sleuths of Special Task Force (STF) has been also sought to trace out the criminals. An enquiry has been also set up in the matter and DIG prisons from lucknow has been also rushed to find out the officials responsible for escape so that further departmental proceedings could be initiated and they would be also put under suspension. The probe committee would also look that how the arms reached inside district jail. later in the evening, four jail guards were suspended.
Reports said that when the under-trials lodged in lakhimpur district jail were taken outside the main gate to carry them to the court for trial, two hardened criminals identified as Ravindra lodh and Ajay Tewari, suddenly came out waiving country made arms in their hands and threatening the staff with dire consequences. While the other under-trials look for shelter, jail staff too remained mute spectators and taking advantage of the situation both the criminals fled from the spot. later jail officials chased them and also raised an alarm to seal the area but it was late till then and both the accused managed to dodge the officials.
Arvind Sen, later disclosed that while Ravindra lodh, hailing from Dhakwa locality of Gola in Kheri was convicted in a murder case in 2003 and serving life term, the other one identified as Ajay Tewari, residing in Mallipur at Shrawasti, was also convicted in dacoity and Gangsters Act. He claimed that efforts are on to trace out both the criminals and to lay a trap on them. He also added that raids have been already conducted in over a dozen suspected hideouts and native place of the two accused.
