LUCKNOW/AYODHYA, Jan. 30 -- Two undertrial inmates accused of murder and rape, escaped from the high-security section of Ayodhya district jail after breaking through the rear wall of their cell and scaling the nearly 20-foot-high boundary wall using a rope made from blankets and clothing in the wee hours of Thursday, officials said. Following the incident, 10 prison staff were suspended and a departmental inquiry was initiated. The step was taken following a preliminary investigation. The escaped inmates have been identified as Sher Ali, son of Rafiq Ali, resident of Amre Mau under Karaudi Kala police station in Sultanpur district, and Golu Agrahari alias Suraj Agrahari, son of Sadhuram, resident of Musafirkhana in Amethi district, according to an official release issued by the Directorate General of Prison Administration and Reform Services headquarters in Lucknow. Sher Ali had been lodged in jail since November 28, 2024, and Golu Agrahari had been in custody since September 14, 2025. Sher Ali has multiple criminal cases registered against him in Ayodhya, Jaunpur and Sultanpur, including charges of murder. Golu Agrahari faces several cases in Amethi and Ayodhya, including offences under the Pocso Act, police said. Both were lodged in Cell No. 4 of Special Security Ward-I of the district jail. Officials said both inmates were inside their cell during the evening on Wednesday. However, during the morning headcount on Thursday, they were missing. Preliminary findings indicate that the two undertrials managed to break through the weakened section of the wall. Officials suspect the inmates used blankets and mufflers tied together to form a makeshift rope to scale the boundary wall. The systematic removal of bricks and preparation of a rope suggest prolonged preparation, officials said. CCTV footage from inside the jail is being examined, though no conclusive lead emerged at the time of reporting. Following a preliminary inquiry conducted by Shailendra Kumar Maitreya, deputy inspector general (DIG), prisons, Ayodhya Range, strict action has been initiated against jail personnel. A recommendation has been sent to the state government for the suspension and departmental proceedings against senior superintendent Uday Pratap Mishra. Meanwhile, jailer Jitendra Kumar Yadav, deputy jailer Mayank Tripathi, head jail warders Harihar Prasad and Tripurari Mishra, jail warders Suresh Kumar Dubey, Jaiprakash Yadav, Sunil Kumar, Ramesh Sahani, Ravi Yadav, and Manoj have been suspended with immediate effect. Senior officials said accountability would be fixed after a detailed probe into the security lapse. A manhunt has been launched, with alerts issued across neighbouring districts and border areas. The latest incident comes less than a month after a jailbreak in Kannauj. Two undertrials - one booked under the Arms Act and the other in a Pocso case - allegedly escaped from Kannauj's Anaugi district jail during belated New Year celebrations on the night of January 4....