Indonesia jail breakout: Hundreds of prisoners escape

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people on green hillside holding a man's hands behind his back and walking him uphillImage source, Reuters
Image caption,

Locals helped police find some of the escaped prisoners, as seen on local TV

More than 100 prisoners are still at large on the Indonesian island of Sumatra after breaking out of an overcrowded jail.

Footage aired on local TV stations showed dozens of men rushing out of a side entrance at Sialang Bungkuk prison in Pekanbaru City, with no sign of anyone following them.

About 200 people escaped after being let out of cells for Friday prayers.

More than a third were subsequently recaptured.

Ferdinand Siagian, from the region's law ministry, said that the jail had only five or six guards on duty for nearly 1,900 inmates, in a prison supposed to hold only 300.

Inmates had accused some guards of being violent and complained about their treatment in the jail, Mr Siagian told Metro TV.

Hundreds of police officers and military personnel have now been deployed to guard the prison.

Police have set up roadblocks around the city and are looking for the other escapees.

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