Nabha jailbreak: 1 person arrested from UP, Punjab govt sacks officials

Chandigarh: UP Police claimed to have arrested one of the armed men involved in the sensational jailbreak in Patiala in which a Khalistani militant outfit chief and five other prisoners escaped this morning.

Parminder alias Penda was travelling in an SUV when his vehicle was intercepted by police at a check post in Kairana in Shamli district in western Uttar Pradesh, police said.

He tried to flee but was apprehended. Police said it has recovered an SLR and three other rifles from his possession. ADG (law and order) Daljeet Choudhury said that police had heightened security as it had apprehensions that the accused in the jailbreak may try to flee to Nepal.

The ADG said that Parminder had "confessed" to his involvement during questioning. He was also allegedly wanted in connection with the murder of a policeman.

The Punjab government on Sunday sacked the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of Nabha jail and suspended the ADGP (Prisons) after the jailbreak incident, and announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh for information leading to the arrest of the escapees.

The state government has issued orders to set up an inquiry committee to look into any lapse in security that led to the incident. It will be headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Jagpal Singh Sandhu.

A special investigation team under an ADGP-rank officer has also been constituted which will look into lapses as well as any conspiracy theories surrounding the incident.

"ADGP (Jails) has been suspended and Jail Superintendent and Deputy Jail Superintendent have been dismissed," Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, who also holds the home portfolio, told reporters.

ADGP (Railways) Rohit Chaudhary has been appointed as the new ADGP (Jails) in place of M K Tiwari and IPS officer S Bhupati is the new Superintendent of Nabha jail.

Sukhbir rushed to the jail for an on-the-spot review of the situation. Punjab Director General of Police Suresh Arora is already in Nabha following the incident, a spokesman said.

Additional Director General of Police, Internal Vigilance Cell, Prabodh Kumar will head the SIT comprising IGP (Patiala Zone) Paramraj Singh, IGP Ishwar Singh, IGP (Counter Intelligence) Nilabh Kishore, DIG (Patiala Range) Amar Singh Chahal and SSP (Patiala) Gurmeet Chouhan.

"Special Investigation team has been asked to submit a report within three days in this regard," Sukhbir said.

The Home Secretary has also been asked to submit a report on the incident.

"Home Secretary will give me a report on lapses. Whosoever will be found responsible in this incident, strict action will be taken against him," he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said a reward of Rs 25 lakh will be given for information leading to the arrest of the escapees.

A group of armed men in police uniform on Sunday stormed the high-security jail  and fled with six prisoners including Khalistan Liberation Front chief Harminder Mintoo.