Jail inmate flees from Covid-19 cell, 2 officials suspended

Karnal: A head warden and warden of Karnal jail have been suspended for negligence of duty after an inmate managed to flee from the special cell created for Covid-19 suspected patients during the wee hours of Wednesday.

According to the police, inmate Deepak Kumar of Kurukshetra was arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and was brought to the Karnal jail’s special cell on September 21 as per court orders. The jail authorities reportedly found him missing on Wednesday morning.

When the jail authorities came to know about the incident, they informed the police.

Superintendent of Karnal district jail Amit Kumar Bhado said the accused was brought on Tuesday and was kept in a special cell created outside the main jail for Covid-19 suspected inmates. He said the head warden and a warden were on duty that day. So, they have been suspended for negligence of duty. An inquiry has been ordered in the case.

Jaswinder Tuli, SHO of Ram Nagar police station, said a case had been registered against the inmate on the complaint of the jail authorities. He would be nabbed soon.