Undertrial escapes Ambala jail via electricity pole; Human Rights Commission demands report

Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of an undertrial escaping from the Ambala jail after climbing an 18-ft electricity pole and using overhead power cables, aided by a power outage.

The commission observed that the undertrial prisoner, Ajay Kumar, a resident of Bihar, was accused in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case, registered by the Panchkula police in March 2024. He had escaped on September 28, 2025.

“The escape was executed by climbing an 18-ft electricity pole and using overhead power cables, aided by a power outage within the jail. This incident marks the second such escape within two months, the first involving an undertrial named Sukhbir from Uttar Pradesh in August 2025, highlighting a recurring failure in maintaining security and custody of inmates,” said the commission.

Ajay Kumar had been assigned work in the jail factory and was found missing during the routine afternoon count. The CCTV footage confirmed that the undertrial scaled a wall near the factory and used the electricity pole and overhead cables to flee. Ambala Jail Superintendent Satvinder Godara had suspended two jail officials.

Despite ongoing search operations by multiple teams, including the Baldev Nagar police and CIA, the escaped undertrial remains at large, as does the earlier escapee.

“The repeated security lapses and inadequate supervision constitute a violation of the undertrial prisoners’ as well as the general public’s human rights under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. The failure to ensure secure confinement not only jeopardises the safety of society but also exposes the undertrial prisoners to the risk of harm and extrajudicial incidents, thereby undermining the rule of law and custodial standards prescribed under human rights norms,” said the commission.

The commission directed the Director General of Prisons to conduct a thorough inquiry into systemic lapses that led to the recent jailbreaks and strengthen security infrastructure, including surveillance, perimeter checks, electrical safety measures, and routine inmate counts. It also directed him to ensure “strict accountability” of the jail officials responsible for custody failures with appropriate disciplinary proceedings.

“The monitoring and review of CCTV footage must be implemented in letter and spirit across all jails in Haryana, ensuring effective surveillance in every jail in the state,” said the commission.