Punjab jailbreak: Top officials suspended, dismissed

Chandigarh: The Punjab government on Sunday suspended the Director General (Jails) and dismissed the Nabha Jail superintendent and deputy jail superintendent and set up a special taskforce to look into the Nabha jailbreak incident.

"DG 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.

A manhunt has been launched to trace the prisoners who escaped, the Deputy CM said and added that a special task force has been formed to track them.

Sukhbir said a special investigation team under the ADGP rank officer has also been constituted which shall look into lapses as well as any conspiracy theories surrounding the jail break incident.

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

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

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

However, the Deputy CM said that there was no need to worry.

"They (prisoners) will not be allowed to run away. Police is after them. We will catch them soon," he said.

A group of armed men in police uniform today stormed the high-security Nabha Jail here and fled with five prisoners including Khalistan Liberation Front chief Harminder Mintoo.

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