BIDAR, July 15 -- Police in Kalaburagi district on Tuesday managed to foil a Pocso convict's escape attempt, hours after he and two others escaped Kalaburagi Central Prison, allegedly after cutting through iron bars in a washroom window and scaling the compound wall, setting off a statewide manhunt and a probe into the nature of the security lapse, officers said.

The escaped convicts were identified as Mastan (26), from Islampur; Santosh (28), from Aurad taluk; and Sagar (29), from Bidar taluk. Mastan and Santosh were convicted in separate cases under the Pocso Act, and Sagar was convicted in a murder case.

Bidar SP Pradeep Guntti said that Santosh was arrested in Humnabad at around 6.30pm, and was being questioned.

"After escaping fro...