3 escape from Punjab jail; CM orders probe

AMRITSAR/CHANDIGARH:THREE prisoners escaped from the high-security Amritsar Central Jail by scaling the boundary walls, prompting chief minister Amarinder Singh to order a review and revamp of prison security across the state.

Following the incident, seven officials—two assistant jail superintendents, four wardens and a home guard sepoy—posted in the jail were placed under suspension with immediate effect, ADGP (Jails) P K Sinha said.

The action against the prison officials came after the CM directed jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa to suspend, pending inquiry, all those responsible for prison security.

The three undertrials—one accused of rape and the other two (both brothers) of theft and dacoity—escaped on intervening night of Saturday and Sunday by making a hole in the wall of their barrack, officials said.

“They then appear to have scaled the inner wall by standing one atop the other. While the outer wall was crossed by them using a hook made of a steel bar and the cover of a quilt to make a ladder. They escaped the jail complex from a point near not under CCTV cover,” DGP Dinkar Gupta said in an official statement.

The DGP said there was no evidence of any outside help, according to preliminary probe which suggests the three had planned their escape on their own.

The CM ordered a magisterial inquiry. ADGP (Jails) P K Sinha said, “The security of the jail was being reviewed at the micro level. Gross negligence in the security system was found.” He said the jail has around 3,200 inmates against the capacity of 2,700.