RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi police said on Wednesday that they had arrested three cops, who were guards of the Adiala jail, for their alleged involvement in the escape of a prisoner while he was being taken back to Jhelum jail from a court in the garrison city.
According to a police statement, Assistant Sub-Inspector Tauqeer Hussain, Head Constable Mahboob Khan and Constable Qasim were arrested on the directives of Rawalpindi City Police Officer Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera.
Police said the escape took place in the Mandra area on Tuesday, identifying the prisoner as Hammad, who had a record of involvement in cases of “serious crime”.
“The [arrested] cops and the prisoner’s accomplices had plotted to shift him to a private car. When Mandra police tried to stop the suspects, Hammad and his accomplices opened fire on them,” the police statement read, adding that while Hammad escaped, one of his accomplices, identified as Danial, was arrested.
A Kalashnikov was also found in his possession, police said.
Separately, Gujjar Khan Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Syed Danyial Hassan told Dawn that the officials travelling with Hammad, including the three arrested ones, had asked the driver of the van they were travelling in to stop the vehicle at a hotel.
However, the driver suspected something unusual and informed Mandra police, the SDPO said, adding that when Mandra Station House Officer Syed Zakaul Hassan reached the site, the prisoner’s accomplices shifted him to a private car and opened fire on police.
The official said the police van was also taken into custody. The official also told Dawn that the prisoner was accused of killing an Adiala jail personnel, and was transferred to the Jhelum jail a few days ago, following the recovery of a mobile phone from his possession at Adiala.
A case of the incident had been registered at the Mandra police station. The first information report, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was registered on the state’s behalf through Zakaul Hassan.
It invoked Sections 324 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 120-B (punishment for criminal conspiracy), 222 (intentional omission to apprehend on the part of a public servant bound to apprehend a person under sentence or lawfully committed), 223 (escape from confinement or custody negligently suffered by a public servant), 224 (resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention), 118 (concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made causing death or hurt) of the Pakistan Penal Code, Sections 155-C and 155-D of Police Order 2002, which pertain to misconduct by police officers, and multiple sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
Meanwhile, search operations and police raids were underway to arrest Hammad, Rawalpindi police’s statement said.
In June, 14 under-trial prisoners escaped from a prisoner van while being transported from Kahuta to Adiala jail after overpowering security guards.
Four of the escaped prisoners were re-arrested during an operation, a Rawalpindi spokesperson said soon after the incident. The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Sihala police station in Islamabad district.
