The local police in Dolpa have released the identities and photos of the eight inmates who escaped from the District Prison in Dunai by digging a tunnel.
During the morning head count on Saturday, prison officials found that eight inmates were missing. Police have been deployed across the district to locate them.
Five of the escapees are serving sentences for rape, while three are connected to theft cases. Of the eight, six were serving sentences, and two were awaiting trial.
The missing inmates are:
- Ram BK (32) from Aathbiskot Municipality-10, Rukum West.
- Kaliprasad Rokaya (29) from Tripurasundari Municipality-7, Dolpa.
- Resham Rana (28) from Kumakh Rural Municipality-5, Salyan.
- Yagya BK (25) from Barekot Rural Municipality-1, Jajarkot.
- Haribahadur Budha (28), also known as Dhan Budha, from Tripurasundari Municipality-4, Dolpa.
- Kapil Pariyar (19), also known as Kailash, from Nalagad Municipality-9, Jajarkot.
- Tilak Bhandari (38) from Aathbiskot Municipality-5, Rukum West.
- Aadesh Bhandari (32) from Aathbiskot Municipality-3, Rukum West.
The five serving sentences for rape are:
- Ram BK
- Kaliprasad Rokaya
- Resham Rana
- Yagya BK
- Haribahadur Budha
Kapil Pariyar is serving a sentence for theft, while Tilak Bhandari and Aadesh Bhandari are awaiting trial for theft.
Initial investigations indicate that the inmates dug a tunnel approximately 4.63 meters long from their sleeping quarters, passing through an old septic tank. The prison’s earthen structure may have facilitated the digging.
It is suspected they used tools like spades and shovels, and police are investigating how they obtained these tools unnoticed.
A head count conducted at around 5:30 PM on Friday showed 17 inmates present, but during the next count at 6 AM on Saturday, the eight inmates were found missing. Authorities believe they escaped sometime after midnight.
In response, the District Police Office in Dolpa has intensified the search for the missing inmates. Security has been heightened at all checkpoints and exits, and collaboration with nearby districts has been established for a broader search.
Police are reviewing CCTV footage and gathering evidence from the prison to understand how the escape was organized.
The escape of eight inmates from a prison with only 17 has raised significant security concerns. Investigations are ongoing to determine how they managed to dig a tunnel without detection. More information on the escape and related security issues will be released as it becomes available.