Centre seeks report from Punjab govt on Nabha jailbreak

New Delhi: Concerned over the jailbreak in Punjab, the Centre on Sunday sought a report from the state government asking it provide details of the incident.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also spoke to the Punjab DGP and asked him to ensure adequate security in all jails in the state.

Armed men in police uniform on Sunday stormed the high-security Nabha Jail in Patiala district, opening indiscriminate fire and fleeing with five prisoners including Khalistan Liberation Front chief Harminder Singh Mintoo.

The Home Ministry asked the Punjab government to send the report about the jailbreak as early as possible and the steps taken to ensure security in the jails.

The incident came two days after Home Minister Rajnath Singh asked security forces to guard against attempts to disturb peace through "vicious" political campaign or by external extremist forces during the election process in Punjab and four other states.

"We have to keep strict vigil against external extremist elements who may try to create disturbance in Punjab. There have been increased activities of Sikh terrorists in recent months.

"Similarly in Manipur, we have to ensure peace keeping in mind the ethnic divide. In Uttar Pradesh too, there may be attempts to disturb law and order through vicious political campaigning. We have to keep strict vigil and take proper steps to ensure peace during election," the Home Minister said at the conference of Director Generals of Police (DGPs) in Hyderabad on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has 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.