Around 200 inmates escape from packed Indonesia prison

By Ainur Rohmah

TUBAN, Indonesia (AA) - Around 200 inmates escaped Friday from an overcrowded prison in Indonesia's Riau Island, police confirmed.

Riau Police spokesman, Senior Commissioner Guntur Aryo Tejo told Anadolu Agency that inmates broke the door of the Sialang Bungkuk Prison in Pekanbaru City, Riau Province after Friday prayers.

"Authorities have caught around 70 inmates so far. We are still chasing the rest," Tejo said.

Citizens around the prison panicked and tried to help the police arrest the prisoners who ran to residential and plantation areas.

National Police Spokesman, Brigadier Rikwanto told Anadolu Agency that the clashes were triggered by a fight in a cell inhabited by 100 inmates.

"A fight broke out in the overcrowded cell, and the officers could not control the situation, so they [the prisoners] escaped," he said.

The prison is inhabited by more than 1,800 inmates, whereas the ideal number is 300. When the incident happened, there were only six officers guarding the prison.

Director General of Corrections of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, I Wayan Dusak said prisoners had repeatedly complained about the prison's sub-standard services and conditions.

"We received a report that they protested the lack of water," Dusak was quoted as saying by Antaranews.com.

"The existing water supply is likely only for 300 prisoners," he said.

Dusak added the number of prison guards was inadequate for the number of prisoners.

The issue of overcapacity in most prisons in Indonesia has reached a chronic level, resulting in poor service and frequent riots.

In March 2016, riots among prisoners in Bengkulu Prison left five inmates dead and the prison building on fire.