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Inmate escapes police custody, head constable, jail warden held
Police have arrested a Patiala jail warden and a head constable after an inmate escaped from Government Rajindra Hospital in the wee hours of Saturday.
Police have arrested a Patiala jail warden and a head constable after an inmate escaped from Government Rajindra Hospital in the wee hours of Saturday.
Navjot Singh of Baazigar Basti at Dhuri in Sangrur was in judicial custody in the Patiala jail. A case under Sections 22, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act was registered against him at Bakhshiwal police station in Patiala on July 16.
Police said head constable Jaswant Singh escorted Navjot to Rajindra Hospital on Friday after he complained of chest pain. During preliminary investigation, it came to light that Jaswant, who was on guard duty with the inmate, allegedly accompanied him to a dhaba outside the hospital and allowed him to use his mobile phone to make calls. Later, some unidentified persons joined them there. The next morning, Navjot was found missing from the hospital. But Jaswant informed the local police around 4am on Sunday.
During investigation, jail warden Sukhwinder Singh was found absent from duty. A case under Sections 222, 223, 224, 225 and 109 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against Navjot, Jaswant, Sukhwinder Singh and three unidentified persons at Civil Lines police station.
Station house officer Rahul Kaushal said the police are trying to find whether the accused cops helped the inmate escape.
