RAWALPINDI: Police have arrested five officials after 14 undertrial prisoners escaped from a prison van linked to Adiala jail. The incident happened after the prisoners were brought back from a court hearing in Kahuta.
Officials confirmed on Tuesday that the arrested staff included the guard in-charge of Adiala jail. All of them were on duty during the incident. Authorities have also started checking their mobile phone data and call records as part of the investigation.
The escape took place on Monday evening in the Sihala area of Islamabad. According to police, the prison van was carrying 36 undertrial prisoners from Adiala jail after their appearance in court.
During the journey, the prisoners reportedly created chaos inside the van. Police said they threw chilli powder into the eyes of the escorting officers. This gave them a chance to flee. Out of 36 prisoners, 14 managed to escape.
After the incident, police launched an inquiry into the security arrangements. Investigators are checking how many prisoners were handcuffed during transport. They are also reviewing the meetings the undertrial prisoners had during their court appearance.
The probe will further examine how many armed guards were assigned for security. Officials will also look into how duties were divided among the prison staff.
Authorities want to know whether standard operating procedures were followed. These SOPs are important for moving high-risk prisoners safely. A special investigation team has been formed for this purpose.
Punjab Inspector General of Police Rao Abdul Kareem took notice of the incident. He sought a detailed report from Rawalpindi Regional Police Officer DIG Babar Sarfraz Alpa.
The IG also ordered the transfer of SP Headquarters Mudassar Iqbal to Lahore. DSP Headquarters Imtiaz Ahmed was suspended immediately until the inquiry is completed.
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Police records show that many of the escaped prisoners from Adiala jail were facing serious charges. These include murder, attempted murder, robbery, and other criminal cases. Security forces are now conducting raids to arrest the fugitives.
