Nabha jailbreak: 1 arrested from UP, huge cache of arms recovered

Chandigarh: 1 person has been arrested in connection with Sunday morning's escape of 5 gangsters and a Khalistan Liberation Front leader from Punjab's Nabha jail, and a huge cache of arms has been recovered from his car in Shamli of Uttar Pradesh.

The person, Parvinder, is said to have provided logistics to enable the jailbreak.

The Punjab government on Sunday sacked the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of Nabha jail and suspended the ADGP (Prisons) after the jailbreak incident, and announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh for information leading to the arrest of the escapees.

The state government has issued orders to set up an inquiry committee to look into any lapse in security that led to the incident. It will be headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Jagpal Singh Sandhu.

A special investigation team under an ADGP-rank officer has also been constituted which will look into lapses as well as any conspiracy theories surrounding the incident.

"ADGP (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.

ADGP (Railways) Rohit Chaudhary has been appointed as the new ADGP (Jails) in place of M K Tiwari and IPS officer S Bhupati is the new Superintendent of Nabha jail.

Sukhbir rushed to the jail for an on-the-spot review of the situation. Punjab Director General of Police Suresh Arora is already in Nabha following the incident, a spokesman said.

Additional Director General of Police, Internal Vigilance Cell, Prabodh Kumar will head the SIT comprising IGP (Patiala Zone) Paramraj Singh, IGP Ishwar Singh, IGP (Counter Intelligence) Nilabh Kishore, DIG (Patiala Range) Amar Singh Chahal and SSP (Patiala) Gurmeet Chouhan.

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

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

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

The Deputy Chief Minister said a reward of Rs 25 lakh will be given for information leading to the arrest of the escapees.

A group of armed men in police uniform on Sunday stormed the high-security jail  and fled with six prisoners including Khalistan Liberation Front chief Harminder Mintoo.