A remand prisoner wanted in several cases of house breaking and theft escaped from the Colombo Magazine Prison in the early hours yesterday by breaking through the roof, prison officials said.

This escape comes in the wake of an escape bid at the Kalutara Prisons on Sunday night in which six escapees were shot dead by prison guards and four others admitted to hospital with gun shot injuries.

Magazine Prison authorities and the Police have launched search operations to apprehend the escapee who was arrested by the Police with much difficulty after he committed a series of thefts involving cash and valuables worth over a million rupees (NP).