Premature release under process, murder convict escapes from Nahan Central Jail

A 64-year-old life convict escaped from the open jail of the Model Central Jail, Nahan, just when his case for premature release was being processed. The absconding inmate, Harish Kumar, a resident of Shahabad in Kurukshetra, had been serving life term for murder for the past 20 years.

According to official sources, Harish managed to flee from the open jail premises on Thursday evening. He had recently been shifted from the closed jail section to the open area and assigned religious duties at the temple on the premises. For the past six months, he had served as a temple caretaker and earned the trust of the jail authorities.

Harish was found missing during the evening roll cal. An intensive search was launched on the jail premises but he could not be located and was declared an absconder. Soon after, the Nahan jail authorities alerted the police, which registered a case and launched a manhunt for him.

Harish’s file for premature release was already under process and his parole leave had been approved.

Under the open jail system, only those inmates who have completed more than half of their sentence and demonstrated exemplary behaviour are permitted to live and work in the open compound. Until now, no prisoner had ever fled the Nahan open jail.

Nahan Jail Superintendent Bhanu Prakash Sharma said that Harish fled on Thursday evening and the police had been informed. “A detailed probe is underway and efforts are being made to trace the absconding prisoner,” he added.