Six prisoners were sentenced to death for rioting and escaping from prison in Zhoukou, a city in central China's Henan Province, court sources said Saturday.

They also had their political right deprived of, according to a verdict issued by Zhoukou Municipal Intermediate People's Court on Friday.

Zhou Liubing and the other five inmates started in June this year plotting escapes by digging holes or picking locks with self-made tools for several times, but the attempts all failed, according to the sources.

On early Aug. 16, the six prisoners successfully escaped after opening the ward door and prison gate with self-made tools. They beat three police guards and another hostage during the process.

They were seized afterwards.

Source: Xinhua