Five prisoners, including four facing murder trials, have escaped from jail in Gujarat state, officials said on Wednesday.
The State is governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and happens to be the home-state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Incidentally, this is the second such incident occurring in the same state this month.
Police said the prisoners managed to run away in the early hours of Wednesday. They were identified as Dharam Devipujak, Nanji Devipujak, Santu Devipujak, Savji Devipujak and Prakash Kushwah.
"They broke open the locks of the barrack and escaped by climbing the prison walls of Dhrangadhra sub-jail in Surendranagar district," said Rajendra Devdha, a senior jail official.
"We have formed teams to nab the five absconding accused and check posts have been placed around the border so they don't manage to flee the district," the officer added.
India is currently under its third phase of countrywide lockdown declared by Prime Minister Modi on 25 March as a measure to curb the spread of COVID-19.