Jailbreak accused admits to scaling wall, cops deny claim

Petty criminal Rahul, who escaped from the Ludhiana jail on the night of October 14, was brought to the city from Bihar on transit remand on Wednesday.

During his preliminary interrogation, Rahul confessed that he had escaped from the jail by scaling the wall. The jail authorities belied his claims and stated that the inmate could not scale the wall fitted with electric security fence. The inmate was initially taken to the Police Division 7, who was later shifted to the CIA, for further questioning to inquire about the exact exit route.

Ludhiana Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma said the inmate confessed that he had scaled the wall to flee from the jail. Further questioning of the accused was underway to verify his claims, he said. A senior police official said earlier the accused did labour work inside the jail and there was a possibility that he might have hid himself in some vehicle. The involvement of some jail officials can’t be ruled out, he said.

When the jail authorities failed to trace the inmate during evening attendance on October 14, officials used super suction machines having high-resolution cameras to scan the drainage system.

Rahul had earlier tried to escape by hiding in a vehicle that came to deliver goods, but he was held, said an official.

4th official suspended

Initially, Head Warders Dharampal and Rajinder and Warder Lakhbir were placed under suspension. Now, Warder Honey, who was deployed at the main door, has also been suspended. — Roop Kumar Arora, IG (Prisons)

Punjab