Kendrapara: Police have suspended two employees of the jail here for alleged dereliction of duty after an under-trial prisoner escaped on March 18 by scaling the prison wall.

Rangadhar Biswal of Mirzapur village in Nikirei police limits was facing trial in a murder case. He scaled the 20ft jail wall by using towels and bed sheets.

The additional director-general of police (prisons) suspended the two warders, who were on duty on that day. The police are also taking steps to beef up security in the prison which houses over 50 criminals from Kendrapara and Paradip syndicates.

The authorities have deployed armed police personnel within a 50m radius of the boundary round-the-clock. CCTV cameras that had been out of order have also been made operational.

The district police have asked higher-ups in the prison department for additional CCTV cameras in the jail for 24X7 watch and vigil on prisoners.

"The number of cameras installed in jails are inadequate to maintain proper surveillance. The district police have also sought installation of jammers to curb the use of mobile phones in prisons," said sub-divisional police officer Rajib Lochan Panda.

"Biswal is yet to be arrested. However, we are hopeful of nabbing him shortly."

Prison authorities had conducted two raids at the jail in the past year.

During each such raid, the officers recovered several mobile phones that the criminals used to regulate their crime syndicates. Narcotic substances were also recovered from the jail premises.

Officials suspected that staff members played an active role in extending patronage to these unlawful activities.

The police had recommended action against jail inmates under provisions of the Odisha Jail Manual Rules.

The possession of a mobile phone is an offence under the provisions of the manual and is listed under the contraband articles.

It also prescribes punishment for those found in possession of such contraband, said police sources.