Patna: Three prisoners fell unconscious outside Beur Central Jail here on Saturday evening shortly after returning from a court appearance in Danapur. The inmates were rushed to the PMCH for treatment.According to jail officials, the prisoners — Subham Kumar, Vicky Kumar and Avinash Kumar — had gone to Danapur court for a scheduled hearing. Officials suspect they consumed narcotic pills inside the police vehicle while returning to the jail.As soon as the prison van reached the jail gate and the inmates were being escorted out, all three collapsed, triggering panic among jail personnel.Jail superintendent Neeraj Kumar Jha said the prisoners allegedly consumed the pills fearing they would be caught during security checks at the jail entrance. He said one of the inmates was a repeat offender who had earlier used similar tactics on two occasions.Officials suspect the prisoners procured the narcotic substances during transit, possibly with the help of associates outside the jail. According to jail authorities, accomplices often pass small packets through vehicle windows when prison vans halt at traffic signals or congested areas.Jha said the inmates consumed the pills hurriedly inside the vehicle and one of them allegedly overdosed. Doctors at the PMCH later confirmed narcotic substance consumption during medical examination.Officials said one prisoner reportedly admitted to consuming two pills while another consumed three. Two of the inmates regained consciousness late at night, while the third prisoner is still recovering.All three prisoners are lodged in the high-security ward of Beur Central Jail and are accused in separate murder cases. Jail authorities described them as habitual offenders who had earlier attempted similar acts to avoid jail procedures.
