Prisoners Escape Haridwar Jail Dressed As Vanaras in Search of ‘Sita’

Authorities in Uttarakhand are currently on the hunt for two prisoners who escaped from Haridwar’s Roshnabad Jail during its annual Ramleela event. The inmates, Pankaj and Rajkumar, used the performance as a cover to flee, disguised as monkeys from the Vanara Sena and pretending to search for Sita—a critical scene from the Ramayana. They never returned from their “mission.”

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The jailbreak took place on Friday, the night before Dussehra, when Ramleela events are widely held across North India. Roshnabad Jail, known for its long-standing tradition of staging Ramleela, provided the perfect cover for the prisoners’ escape. Many participants in the performance are either convicts or undertrial inmates at the facility, making it easier for the two escapees to blend in with the rest of the cast.

According to *Navbharat Times*, the two prisoners made their move on October 10 during a scene where Hanuman’s monkey army searches for Sita, who had been kidnapped by Ravana during her exile with Lord Rama and Lakshmana. Pankaj and Rajkumar, both dressed as members of the Vanara Sena, used this opportunity to slip away unnoticed, as the audience believed they were merely acting out their roles.

The inmates took advantage of the ongoing construction work at the jail to make their escape. They reportedly used a ladder to scale the boundary wall and flee. Authorities are currently investigating whether factors beyond the Ramleela and construction contributed to the security breach.

Pankaj, a native of Roorkee in Uttarakhand, is serving a life sentence for his involvement in a murder case. Rajkumar, from Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, is under trial for an alleged kidnapping. Ironically, abduction was the theme of their final scene before their escape, raising concerns about security at the prison complex.

Haridwar Police confirmed that the search for the two escapees is ongoing. The prison authorities are under scrutiny for this security lapse, as they work to identify any further lapses that may have aided the prisoners’ escape.