Six cops suspended after gangster, 2 Pak nationals flee from Jammu juvenile home

Jammu, Feb 17: Six police personnel were suspended over alleged dereliction of duty after three inmates — two Pakistan nationals and a local gangster — escaped from a juvenile facility in R S Pura sector here, officials said on Tuesday.

Karajeet Singh alias Gugga, a resident of Dablehar in R S Pura, and Pakistan citizens Mohammad Suna-ullah and Ahsan Anwar allegedly attacked police personnel and fled from the juvenile home around 5.15 pm on Monday. Two cops were injured in the incident.

Officials said six police personnel, including an assistant sub-inspector were placed under suspension for dereliction of duty in connection with the incident.

The suspensions form part of a departmental inquiry to determine how the escape transpired, why security was compromised, and whether there were lapses in duty by the deployed personnel, they added.

Special teams constituted following the escape have carried out raids at dozens of locations amid an intensified manhunt for the runaways, officials said.

They said police have registered an FIR under sections 109 (attempt to murder), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 262 (resisting, obstructing, or escaping from lawful custody), 307 (theft with preparation to cause death, hurt or restrain), 111 (organised crime) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and sections 3 and 25 under Arms Act (unauthorised possession, carriage, use of firearms).

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat and Inspector General, Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti, along with other officers, rushed to the spot after the incident and a departmental inquiry is underway to probe various angles, including conspiracy and procurement of a country-made pistol by the inmates.

A purported video of the gangster, said to be associated with the ‘Khauff’ gang, resorting to few rounds of firing inside the juvenile home went viral on social media, drawing public concern.

Former DGP S P Vaid questioned the police over the incident. He pointed out that all three inmates had already ceased to be juveniles.

“One of the inmates procured a locally-made ‘katta’ (crude pistol) and all three escaped, possibly trying to cross the border. I am sure police teams will catch them before they do,” Vaid said in a post on X.

Singh was arrested along with nearly a dozen other accused in connection with the murder of rival gang leader Sumit Jandiyal alias ‘Gataru’ in Jewel chowk area in January last year and was subsequently lodged in the juvenile home.