Death row convict escapes from Chandigarh's GMCH-32

A death-row convict escaped from the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, here, sending both Punjab and Chandigarh police into a state of high alert.

The convict, identified as Sonu Singh (29), a native of Uttar Pradesh, was brought here from the Ludhiana Central Jail. He was convicted in a 2023 case registered at Daba, Ludhiana, for the rape and murder of a minor girl, and awarded the death sentence.

According to official sources, Sonu was admitted to the GMCH-32 after he complained of severe abdominal pain late Monday evening. He was brought here by three Punjab Police personnel — driver Balwant Singh, Head Constable Lakhwinder Singh and Warden Malkit Singh.

He escaped on the pretext of using a washroom around Tuesday midnight. While one officer stepped aside to arrange his treatment papers, Sonu allegedly slipped his hand out of the handcuff, shoved the accompanying warden inside the washroom and fled the scene. Before the officer could regain balance, the convict had disappeared into a crowd of attendants on the hospital premises.

Senior Punjab Police officials were immediately informed. They asked the UT police to secure all city borders. However, despite the city being under high alert due to the Delhi blast, and multiple checkpoints already active, the fugitive managed to evade arrest.