The disappearance of an undertrial from the Ludhiana Central Jail has triggered action against three jail officials who have been suspended for “negligence”. The incident has raised serious questions about security and administrative lapses within the high-security facility.
Officials familiar with the development said that among the suspended staff members were a CCTV operator and two head wardens — Rajinder Singh Sidhwan and Dharmpal. Preliminary findings suggested lapses in vigilance, officials said, adding that the department had also decided to involve the suspended staff in the ongoing police investigation to ascertain how the inmate managed to flee.
The undertrial, identified as Rahul, went missing three days ago. He is believed to have escaped. Despite extensive searches, there has been no trace of him so far. CCTV footage reportedly showed him moving around the jail premises even after inmates had been locked in their cells. He was last seen on camera around 9:30 pm, nearly three and a half hours after the official lock-up time.
Investigating officer ASI Dinesh Kumar confirmed that CCTV footage from multiple cameras is being examined to trace the sequence of events. “We have collected video recordings and are verifying how the incident took place. Further action will follow based on the findings,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Investigating officer ASI Dinesh Kumar confirmed that CCTV footage from multiple cameras is being examined to trace the sequence of events. “We have collected video recordings and are verifying how the incident took place. Further action will follow based on the findings,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, jail superintendent Kulwant Singh has drawn criticism for maintaining silence over the incident. Despite repeated attempts to seek his response, he has not issued any official statement.