Kendrapara: A prisoner lodged in Kendrapara sub-jail and facing trial in a murder case escaped from the prison on Saturday night, raising a serious question on the security system.

Rangadhar Biswal of Mirzapur village in Nikirei police station scaled the 20-ft jail wall using towels and bed sheets.

The jail inmates are usually locked up inside their respective cells after sunset. It is yet to be ascertained how the accused managed to get out of the cell despite tight security.

"A serious lapse of duty on part of the jail staff resulted in the incident. An inquiry is being conducted. Disciplinary action will be initiated against those responsible for the lapse," said additional director general of police (prisons) Bijayanand Jha.

The state prison administration has instituted a probe into the jailbreak incident. A case has been registered at Sadar police station in this connection. A special team has been constituted to track the absconder, said Kendrapara police superintendent Daya-nidhi Gochayat.

The jailbreak has exposed the lack of security at the prison, which houses 247 undertrial prisoners, including over 50 notorious criminals.

Security has been stepped up in the prison following the incident. Round-the-clock armed police deployment has also been clamped within 50-metre radius of the prison boundary.

Two prisoners had escaped from Kujang jail by scaling the wall on February 22, 2015.

The district police have also requested the state prison authorities for installation of more closed-circuit television cameras in the sub-jail to step up 24X7 watch on prisoners.

"The number of cameras presently installed in jails are inadequate to maintain surveillance on unruly prisoners. The district police have also sought for installation of jammers to curb cell phone use in prisons," added Gochayat.