Tura (Meghalaya), Nov 26 (PTI) An "ailing" undertrial prisoner slipped out of handcuffs, jumped from a police jeep and escaped while being taken to a hospital from a jail at tura in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya on Thursday, an official said.

The 21-year-old man, identified as John R Sangma, had started vomiting and was not responding to treatment in the prison hospital.

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The authorities of the district jail sought police help for taking him to Tura Civil Hospital but he escaped before reaching there, the official said.

Sangma, who was arrested in connection with a sexual assault case, was short in stature and managed to slide his wrist out of the handcuffs before jumping out of the vehicle and running away, Superintendent of Police Dr MGR Kumar said.

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"A search is on for the escaped prisoner. We are hopeful of capturing him soon," he said.

An inquiry into the incident has been ordered.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)