Another jail inmate escapes from Guru Nanak Dev Hospital

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 22

Close on the heels of a jail inmate escaping from Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, another prisoner belonging to Hoshiarpur fled from the hospital while dodging the police guards. This is the second incident of its kind in the past couple of days.

Besides the jail inmate, identified as Balkar Masih, son of Jabru Masih, a resident of Purana Shala village in Gurdaspur, the Civil Lines police here have booked three policemen, head constables Gian Chand and Iqbal Singh and Punjab Home Guards jawan Avtar Singh. They were booked and subsequently suspended on charges of dereliction of duty.

Gurmeet Singh, lines officer, Hoshiarpur police, stated that Balkar was an accused of attempt to murder and was facing trial under Sections 307, 34, IPC, and Sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act. The case was registered at the Mukerian police station.

Balkar was admitted to the ward number 2 of the GNDH on December 18. Yesterday, when he checked in the hospital, neither the accused nor the police guards were present there.

“The guards did not even bother to inform the police officials concerned regarding the fleeing of Balkar, which is a clear-cut case of dereliction in performing their duties,” he stated. Police officials did not rule out that the policemen could be hand in gloves with the accused. However, they added that investigations would be carried out to ascertain their roles.

Assistant Sub-Inspector Jaspal Singh, investigating officer in the incident, said a case under Sections 223 and 224 of the IPC had been registered against the four, including the three policemen and the accused. Raids would conducted to arrest them, he added.

A day before, Amritsar Central jail inmate Nirmal Singhm, son of Ajit Singh, a resident of Jhabal Kalan village in Tarn Taran, made the hospital his escape route. He was facing trial on charges of murder. A case had been registered with the Bhikhiwind police station.