19 inmates fled Gurdaspur jail in 7 yrs

RTI revelation

• The Central Jail, Patiala, has a much better record as five inmates escaped from it from 1966 to 2014
• At least 10 prisoners fled the Central Jail, Ludhiana, from 1966 to 2014
• Seven inmates escaped from the Central Jail, Ferozepur, from 2004-14
• Four inmates fled the Open Air Agricultural Jail, Nabha, from 1966-2014
• Three inmates fled the Sub-Jail, Muktsar, from 1966 to 2014
• A similar number of inmates fled the Sub-Jail, Pathankot, and two Sub-Jail, Malerkotla, during the same period

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, April 20

Information procured under the Right to Information Act has exposed chinks in security at the Gurdaspur Central Jail.

It revealed that 19 jail inmates fled the jail in seven years from 2008 to 2014. While three inmates each fled in 2008 and 2009, one in 2010, five each in 2012 and 2013 and two in 2014.

The Central Jail, Patiala, has a much better record as five inmates escaped from it from 1966 to 2014.

The information revealed that seven inmates escaped from the Central Jail, Ferozepur, from 2004 to 2014. Surprisingly, the jail authorities have no record available before 2003.

Ten inmates escaped from the Central Jail, Ludhiana, from 1966 to 2014. One inmate each escaped in 1989, 1991 and 2000, two each in 2007, 2008 and 2010 and one in 2012.

Four inmates fled the Open Air Agricultural Jail, Nabha, from 1966 to 2014. While one inmate each fled in 2009 and 2013 and two in 2014. The jail authorities say no legal action is taken against any official if an inmate flees while working in the farms.

Three inmates fled the Sub-Jail, Muktsar, from 1966 to 2014. A similar number of inmates fled the Sub-Jail, Pathankot, from 1966 to 2014. Two inmates fled the Sub-Jail, Malerkotla, from 1966 to 2014.

One inmate escaped from the Central Jail, Jalandhar, from 2011 to 2014. Similarly, one inmate fled the Sub Jail, Dasuya, and one from the Sub-Jail, Moga.

Not a single inmate escaped from the Women Jail, Ludhiana, Sub-Jail, Phagwara, District Jail, Hoshiarpur, Sub-Jail, Barnala, District Jail, Ropar, District Jail, Mansa, District Jail, Sangrur, Central Jail, Bathinda, Borstal Jail, Ludhiana, Security Jail, Nabha, and District Jail, Nabha, from 1966 to 2014.

Other jails, including the Central Jail, Faridkot, Sub-Jail, Fazilka, Sub-Jail, Patti, and the Central Jail, Amritsar, have not responded to an RTI query on the matter made six months ago.

The authorities of the Central Jail, Gurdaspur, said jail security had been tightened to avoid such incidents. They said personnel of the state police and home guard were deputed at the watch towers and on patrol duty. "The police guards deputed at hospitals with ill inmates too have been told to keep a close watch on them," they added.

Courtesy: The Tribune