Bhubaneswar

A total of 44 prisoners escaped from different jails in Odisha over the last five years, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Monday.

In a written reply to a question by Sofia Firdous of the Indian National Congress, Majhi said that the escaped prisoners included 33 under-trial prisoners (UTPs) and 11 convicts.

Of the 44 prisoners who fled custody, 27 have been recaptured while 17 remain at large, the chief minister said.

Majhi also provided case-wise details of disciplinary and legal action taken against jail officials and security personnel found responsible for lapses that led to the escapes.

In response to another query, he informed the House that the state currently has 86 functioning jails with a combined capacity of 24,189 inmates.

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At present, 18,176 prisoners are lodged in the jails, including 14,040 under-trial prisoners and 4,136 convicts, he added.