Bhubaneswar Six months after the dramatic jailbreak from Choudwar Circle Jail in Cuttack, police have successfully arrested the second escaped under-trial prisoner.
Director General of Police (DGP) Y B Khurania confirmed that Raja Sahani, a native of Bihar, was apprehended from Rishikesh. “He is being brought to Odisha on transit remand by a Cuttack Police team for further interrogation,” the DGP said.
The two inmates had escaped from the high-security Choudwar Circle Jail on the night of October 2 last year by scaling the walls, taking advantage of a lapse in supervision during the Dussehra festivities. Th
ey were arrested on January 4, 2025, for allegedly robbing a jewellery shop in Panikoili, Jajpur district, and killing two people during the heist. The duo — facing serious charges — had been shifted to Choudwar from Ragadi sub-jail for enhanced security.
After fleeing the jail, they immediately boarded a train to Puri, where they hid near a public toilet before heading to Bihar the next day. To evade capture, the criminals frequently changed their locations, identities, and occupations, deliberately avoiding electronic surveillance and major anticipated hideouts.
The first escapee, Madhukant Rana alias Singh (24), a resident of Rampur village under Goura police limits in Bihar, was arrested on February 13 from an ashram in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, following a coordinated inter-state operation. He had been living in disguise under the name Basu Pandeya and working at the ashram’s guest house.