Bhubaneswar: Two convicted prisoners lodged at Jharpada jail in Bhubaneswar are yet to return after being released on parole though the sanctioned period ended long ago.
According to sources, the convicts Susil Digal, serving a life sentence in a murder case, and Ranjit Nayak who is serving a 20-year jail term in a rape case, have gone absconding.
The Jharpada jail authorities have lodged complaints at the Laxmisagar police station which has launched searches to trace and apprehend the two.
The incident has exposed alleged negligence in the state jail administration, as sources reveal that more than 50 prisoners across various jails in Odisha have failed to return after parole or leave. Taking serious note of the matter, the Odisha High Court has expressed concern over these lapses. Following directions of the High Court, the Director General of Prisons had appeared before the court in person.
Both Susil Digal and Ranjit Nayak left Jharpada jail after being granted parole but did not return after the end of the sanctioned period, raising an alarm. Sources say Digal had returned to jail in previous instances of furlough leaves. However, after going on parole in 2024, he is yet to return and jail authorities have no information of his whereabouts.
Similarly, Ranjit Nayak went on leave on October 1 and was to return by the end of the month. However, he has gone missing for almost 2 months which has raised an alarm. Though jail authorities have filed yet another complaint at the Laxmisagar police station, the incidents of prisoners convicted of grave crimes jumping parole and roaming free raises serious questions about the safety and security of citizens in Odisha. Questions are being raised about the practice of granting multiple furloughs to hardened criminals convicted of serious crimes.
