Prisoners escape in Calcutta

Police in the Indian state of West Bengal say that five prisoners have escaped from a high security jail in the state capital, Calcutta.

The authorities say the prisoners, who were on trial in separate cases, were reported missing during evening roll call at Dum Dum prison in the centre of the city on Wednesday.

Police say that a man, Sheikh Vinod, suspected of being a key figure in the Calcutta underworld was amongst those who escaped.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service