Two criminals, together with a convicted assassin, escaped from the Haridwar district jail in Uttarakhand throughout a Ramleela efficiency staged contained in the jail. The 2 prisoners, Rajkumar and Pankaj, who had been enjoying the roles of ‘vaanar’ (monkeys), used the chance to flee whereas pretending to seek for Goddess Sita, in response to studies from PTI.
Pankaj, who hails from Roorkee and was serving a life sentence for homicide below Part 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), escaped alongside Rajkumar, who was an undertrial going through expenses of kidnapping. The prisoners reportedly took benefit of building work occurring inside the jail premises and used a ladder introduced in for the work to make their escape, officers instructed PTI.
Pramendra Singh Dobal, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Haridwar, confirmed the incident, stating, “We obtained info by way of the management room that two prisoners—one convicted and the opposite undertrial—escaped from the jail. The jail administration was initially investigating the matter. As soon as we had been knowledgeable, a search operation was launched, and we’re conducting checks throughout varied areas.”
Investigation Underway
Authorities have registered a case below related sections, and a manhunt is underway to find the 2 escapees. “Quickly, they are going to be arrested, and authorized motion shall be taken,” added SSP Dobal. He additional defined that Rajkumar had been charged with kidnapping, whereas Pankaj was already serving a life time period for homicide.
Political Backlash
The escape has sparked political controversy, with former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat criticizing the state’s administrative system. He expressed deep concern over the incident, calling it a “blot on the administration.” Talking to PTI, Rawat stated, “What is going on in our state? This can be a severe lapse in our police system. An enormous sin has been dedicated by the Chief Minister, and he ought to take accountability for it.”
