Six inmates, including a convicted murderer and a Bangladeshi national, escaped from Tripura’s Dharmanagar Sub-Jail after attacking a guard. Police launched a massive manhunt, sealing borders with Assam, Mizoram, and Bangladesh while BSF tightened vigil to prevent cross-border escape.
Six inmates — five undertrial prisoners and one convicted lifer — escaped from Dharmanagar Sub-Jail in North Tripura district during the early hours of Wednesday. The escape was executed after the prisoners attacked a jail guard with sharp weapons, leaving him injured.
Details of the Escape
According to officials, the incident occurred at the Kalikapur-based Dharmanagar Sub-Jail when jail staff were carrying out the daily routine of bringing prisoners out of their cells for breakfast and morning ablutions. The six inmates overpowered and attacked the guard, identified as Bedu Miah, using sharp-edged weapons. After injuring him, they managed to flee from the prison premises.
The injured guard was immediately shifted to Dharmanagar District Hospital where doctors confirmed his condition as stable. Authorities described the incident as a major breach of security and launched a full-scale investigation into how the prisoners managed to obtain sharp weapons within the jail.
Police and Security Response
North Tripura district police swung into action shortly after the escape was reported. Superintendent of Police (SP) Avinash Kumar Rai personally led one of the search teams as part of the large-scale manhunt. Security personnel fanned out across the district, and all police stations in North Tripura and the adjoining Unakoti district were put on high alert.
Recognizing the geographical vulnerabilities of the region, police requested the Border Security Force (BSF) to maintain heightened surveillance along the India-Bangladesh border to prevent any attempts by the fugitives to cross into the neighboring country.
“North Tripura shares inter-state borders with Assam and Mizoram, besides having an international border with Bangladesh. Considering these factors, all exit points along Assam, Mizoram, and Bangladesh have been sealed to ensure the escapees cannot flee the state,” an official said.
Identities of the Fugitives
Authorities confirmed the identities of the six escapees as:
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Abdul Pata — Resident of Nilambazar in Assam’s Sribhumi district (formerly Karimganj district). He was arrested earlier under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, for involvement in illegal drug trafficking.
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Rahim Ali — An undertrial prisoner facing charges in Tripura.
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Narayan Chandra Dutta — A Bangladeshi national arrested under the Passport Act and related laws.
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Rosan Ali — An undertrial prisoner accused in multiple criminal cases.
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Nazim Uddin — Facing trial for serious charges.
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Sunil Debbarma — The only convicted prisoner among the six, serving a life term after being convicted for murder and other serious crimes.
Concerns Over Security Lapses
The prison break has raised pressing questions over the security management of Dharmanagar Sub-Jail. Officials admitted that while prisoners are regularly escorted outside their cells for meals and daily activities, the manner in which the inmates obtained sharp weapons points to a serious lapse in monitoring.
Civil society groups and opposition parties have also voiced concerns over the preparedness of the jail administration, urging the state government to conduct a thorough probe and fix accountability.
Ongoing Search Operation
By Wednesday afternoon, security personnel had expanded their search across forested areas, highways, and border villages. Patrol teams were stationed at inter-state and international checkpoints, while BSF units increased night patrols along unfenced stretches of the India-Bangladesh border.
Police have appealed to local residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements. Authorities fear that some of the fugitives, particularly Bangladeshi national Narayan Chandra Dutta, may attempt to cross the international boundary.
Official Assurance
Senior officials have assured the public that all efforts are being made to apprehend the fugitives at the earliest. “We are leaving no stone unturned. All agencies, including police, BSF, and intelligence units, are working together to ensure the escapees are captured soon,” said an official in Agartala.
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The escape of six inmates, especially a convicted murderer and a Bangladeshi national, has sparked widespread alarm in Tripura. Authorities are under mounting pressure to deliver results in the manhunt while simultaneously addressing the systemic lapses that allowed such a daring jailbreak to occur.
