Amritsar, June 12
Assistant Jail Superintendent Satwinder Singh and 13 others, including, two head constables Jasbir Singh and Naseeb Singh, constables Jaspal Singh, Pargat Singh and Manjit Singh have been booked by the district police in connection with the alleged jailbreak bid in the high security Amritsar Central Jail here.
The attempt came to light when District Magistrate, Raminder Singh and district police chief Kultar Singh raided the jail yesterday. The officials later revealed that the undertrials lodged at barrack No 10 were also enjoying five-star facilities.
Others who were booked under Sections 489-C, 120-B and 18/61/85, NDPS Act, at the Sadar police station include Inderjit Singh, Dalbir Singh, Davinder Singh, Bakshish Singh, Jasbir Singh, all residents of Algon Kothi and Vikramjit Singh and Manjit Singh, who were undertrials in the murder case of an Akali leader Gurdial Singh in Bhikhiwind area in May 2002.
Mr Raminder Singh while talking to the correspondent said a detailed report of the first-hand information with regard to the attempted jailbreak had been sent to Mr M.S. Beermi, Minister of State for Jail and to IG Central Jail.
The DC has recommended the beefing up of the internal and external security and vigil, besides taking strick steps to check the entry of narcotics and other items against the jail manual. The report
has suggested revamping of the entire administrative set up and has made guidelines to rotate the security guards and wardens on regular basis, which should be made mandatory to improve jail staff efficiency.
A senior jail official pleading anonymity said some articles
like sharpedged tools like cutters and hand saw were allowed in to the jail as they were needed a factory and a carpentry and textile workshops.
He said these instruments were stored in a locked cell near barrack No 10 where the inmates were kept and were given to prisoners or undertrials during day time for work and in evening these used to be taken back from them.
He claimed that the CD players were permitted by Mr Izhar Alam, former IG, Prisons. He added that the instruments could not be used for breaking jail. He, however, doubted the veracity of the theory flouted by the administration about the jailbreak bid as there were many missing links in their claim.
Mr Kuldip Singh, Superintendent, Jail, said he had reported the matter to IG Central Jail, Mr S.K. Datta on telephone. He confirmed that a case has been registered against the accused.
