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Chinese prison boss dismissed over deadly escape

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-10-24 15:49

BEIJING: The head of a prison in northern China has been dismissed after four inmates killed a guard and escaped, leading to a manhunt with thousands of police, state media reported Saturday.

Related readings:  Justice done; grief lingers on  Police kill one escaped prisoner, capture three others  Prison escapees still on run  4 inmates kill officer, break jail

Zhang Heping, who is also Communist Party chief at the prison in Inner Mongolia, was removed from his post because he shouldered responsibility for the October 17 escape, state television CCTV said.

The four inmates, all serving life sentences, fled the regional capital Hohhot's No. 2 Prison in a stolen taxi, leading to a manhunt involving 6,000 police and security officers.

Police shot and killed one of the convicts and captured the other three Tuesday in a small township in Helin county after they hijacked a rural wagon and took a hostage, according to state media.

Four other officials have been suspended from the prison, the Beijing News newspaper said.