10 arrested for helping criminals escape police custody

BHOPAL - Ten people have been arrested for attacking a police party that was escorting three criminals to a jail in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district, police said Friday. Two of the criminals managed to escape in the melee.

The incident occurred Thursday when three undertrials - Bhim Thakur, Kuldeep Parihar and Vinod - accused in a murder case, were being taken to a jail in Betul town.

About 25 people attacked the police party, threw chili powder in their eyes and freed two of the three criminals.

“While Bhim Thakur and Kuldeep Parihar succeeded in running away, Vinod is still in police custody. Police have registered a case and arrested 10 people in this connection,” Superintendent of Police R.L. Prajapati told IANS over phone.

The undertrials had been brought from Bhopal and were presented at a court in Betul Thursday. They were required to be presented again Friday. Hence, the police were taking them to a local jail.