Scaling the high walls, digging a tunnel or escaping during a riot are the common images you associate with a prison break.

But a murder convict serving a life term in Bengaluru Central Prison complex simply walked out of the main gate on Friday evening by convincing the guards that he was a visitor. This embarrassing episode comes nearly 18 months after notorious serial killer Jaishankar escaped from the high-security prison.

The escape came to light during the evening roll call; Manjunath (29), housed in D2 barrack, was missing. Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Kamal Pant rushed to the prison. Additional Inspector General of Police V S Raja submitted an inquiry report based on which four guards were suspended.

Analysis of the CCTV footage revealed that Manjunath not in the prison uniform when he walked out. He was wearing regular trousers and a shirt. Investigations revealed that he stole the clothes from the laundry before emerging out of his barrack at 4.28 pm. He went to the administrative block and emerged at 5 pm. But instead of going to his barrack, he headed towards the main gate.

At the first gate, he flaunted a visitor’s seal on his left hand, but the guard pulled him out of the line. However, as the guard proceeded to check those entering the prison, Manjunath slipped away and headed to the main gate.

He again flaunted his left hand but the guard realised that he was an inmate. Manjunath stitched up a lie on the spot: he reportedly claimed to have been out on parole for a week and had come to apply for an extension. The guard was convinced and let him out.