Convict’s escape bid foiled minutes after sentencing in Kapurthala court

A dramatic incident unfolded at the Kapurthala district court complex when a convicted drug smuggler attempted to flee moments after being sentenced on Tuesday.

The Additional Sessions Court of Judge Laxmi Kapila found Jatinder Singh, a resident of Khukhrain village, guilty in an Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act case registered in 2018 at Kotwali Police Station. The court sentenced him to 10 years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh.

According to officials, after the sentencing, Naib Court Tarsem Singh was escorting the convict towards the lock-up (Bakshi Khana) when Jatinder Singh suddenly broke free and sprinted towards the exit of the court complex. Security personnel immediately raised the alarm.

Naib Tarsem Singh chased the fleeing convict and with the assistance of a lawyer’s clerk, managed to apprehend him within moments, preventing his escape.