200 inmates escape from Indonesian prison amid riot

Around 200 inmates escaped from a crowded prison in north Sumatra Island's Medan city on Thursday night after a riot, local media reported. The riot, triggered by the cut of water and electricity supply in Tanjung Gusta penitentiary, occurred at 17:30 Jakarta time when the rampant prisoners set the fire, broke the gate of the main door and controlled part of the penitentiary to fight against the security forces, Indonesia's news detik.com reported. "Preliminary estimates show some 200 inmates escaped, 15 of them are doubted to be terror prisoners," North Sumatra Police spokesman Heru Prakoso told detik.com, adding that the police are instructed to recapture the inmates. Detik.com reported that fire fighters, prison officers and police are still trying to extinguish the fire and recontrol the situation as the rampant inmates continue to throw stones on them. In anticipation of further incidents, police officers and the army personnel are deployed around and in the prison. Tanjung Gusta penitentiary is often criticized for its poor security and overcrowding. With a capacity to accommodate only 1, 000 inmates, now a total of 2,600 prisoners were jailed there.