Patna, Jun 15 (IANS): Three prisoners managed to flee from a prison van in Patna on Thursday afternoon after rubbing balm on the eyes of their police guards, police said.

The prison van was on the way to the district court located near Pirbahore police station on Ashok Rajpath when the incident occurred.

When they reached the BN College turn, two e-rickshaw drivers were involved in a verbal duel with a biker which led to a massive traffic snarl and the prison van was also trapped in the jam.

"Two policemen of the prison van stepped down and tried to restore smooth traffic, the inmates, who were carrying Zandu Balm, rubbed it on the other three police personnel inside the van and fled from there," Patna's DSP, Town, Ashok Kumar, said.

The fugitives were identified as Niraj Chaudhary, Sonu Sharma, and Sonu Kumar, all arrested under the NDPS and Arms Act. The hearing of their case was scheduled on Thursday afternoon in the civil court.

The incident has shocked everyone. Patna police are investigating how the three obtained the balm, as well as whether the traffic jam was created deliberately or not.