About 240 inmates escape from Indonesian prison

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A riot broke out Thursday night in the largest and overcrowded prison of Tanjung Gusta, Medan in Indonesia's North Sumatra and about 240 inmates escaped.

About 240 inmates escape from Indonesian prison

A riot broke out Thursday night in the largest and overcrowded prison of Tanjung Gusta, Medan in Indonesia's North Sumatra and about 240 inmates escaped. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Official sources said the inmates set fires and took control of parts of the prison before they forced their way out. The fire was reportedly still going on Friday morning.

Media reports said that among the escapees, there were terrorist inmates.

Local media in Medan reported that five prison wardens were burned to death in the riot.

The riot, triggered by the cut of water and electricity supply in Tanjung Gusta prison occurred at 17:30 Jakarta time.

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said Friday that 64 of those escaped had been recaptured by the authorities. "The number of those escaped was found out after morning check as there were only 2,360 left remaining in the prison this morning. Before the commotion the prison held 2,600 inmates," the minister told a press conference.

Djoko said that 15 among those escaped were the ones imprisoned for committing terrorism in Medan, the province capital city, in 2010.

The minister added that the prison was apparently overpopulated as its maximum capacity was for 1,054 inmates.

Djoko added that the Legal and Human Rights Ministry had been told to address this issue seriously to improve the conditions in prisons across the country.

Responding to the incident, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has issued order to carry out investigation into the case to find out the exact causes that triggered the riot.

The president has also instructed Police Chief Gen. Timur Pradopo to take necessary measures to restore security and order in the prison, hunt for the escaped inmates and bring them back to the prison.

In anticipation of further incidents, thousands of policemen have been deployed around the prison. Police are now still searching for those inmates who are still at large.

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