Kohima, Nov 20 (IANS): Nine prisoners, including two murder convicts, have fled from the Mon district jail in Nagaland and a massive manhunt is now on in the district and adjoining areas to trace them, police said on Sunday.

A police official in Kohima said that seven under-trials and two murder convicts escaped from the Mon district jail after midnight on Saturday after somehow getting hold of their cell keys and then climbing over the walls.

Northern Nagaland's Mon district shares a border with Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar.

Police and other security personnel, led by senior officials, immediately launched a massive search operation in the entire Mon district and nearby areas to nab the prisoners.

Police also issued a look-out notice on Sunday and alerted different agencies and all the police stations to keep a close vigil in their areas.

A case has been registered at Mon police station and the investigation is underway.The local village councils, from where the prisoners hailed, have also been asked to inform the police in case there is any information about the fugitives.