Police on Tuesday said the undertrials, all accused in housebreaking cases, had cut three horizontal rods and a vertical bar fitted on the window using a hacksaw blade.

They had been cutting the grills since April 24 and had made them so loose that with one push they would give way. They had to cut only two more grills to make good their escape.

The accused were Rajesh Chorge (23), Vinod Patil (28), Akash Patil (23), Ramesh Jumman (24), Baba Das (23), Rohidas Yewale (20) and Vijay Kasbe (38).

It was Yewale who, while being interrogated, blurted out about the escape plan which was being hatched in the lock-up.

The city police commissioner had ordered an inquiry into the escape attempt to ascertain whether there was any negligence on part of the sentry, police added.