On Monday, 216 prisoners escaped from Karachi’s District Jail Malir, commonly known as “Bacha Jail", after a series of small earthquakes hit the region. According to officials, three low-intensity tremors, measuring between 3.2 and 3.6 on the Richter scale, struck within 24 hours. The quakes had their epicenter near the Landhi Fault area and caused visible damage to the prison, including cracked walls and a partial collapse.

Early reports claimed that the inmates had fled through the main gate, but later investigations revealed that they escaped through a broken section of the wall created by the tremors. Authorities had temporarily moved around 600 to 1,000 prisoners out of their barracks for safety. However, as panic took over, some inmates overpowered the guards and used the chaos to run away.

The situation quickly turned violent. The fleeing inmates managed to grab weapons and opened fire. Gunshots were heard both inside and outside the jail, creating fear among nearby residents. During the incident, one prisoner was killed. Three Frontier Corps personnel and one jail guard were injured.

In response, police and paramilitary Rangers acted quickly, blocking roads including the National Highway and sealing off surrounding areas. SSP Malir Kashif Aftab Abbasi confirmed that “police and paramilitary forces quickly sealed off nearby settlements, highways, and villages to prevent further escapes.”

Authorities managed to recapture 80 of the 216 escapees within a few hours. However, 135 prisoners are still on the run. The ongoing search is proving difficult due to the dense urban layout of Karachi.

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