Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 27: A notorious thief, who had been taken on remand by Channi Himmat police from Kot Bhalwal jail for questioning in connection with theft cases, escaped from custody of Channi Himmat police station last night when the police personnel got busy after the arrival of a senior police officer.
Authorities have placed Munshi and Sentry of the police station under suspension for negligence of duty and registered a case against the escaped thief. A hunt has been launched to re-arrest him.
Police identified the thief, who escaped from the police station, as Shahid Ahmad of Nishat, Srinagar. Earlier, the thief had given his wrong identity as Abid Hussain of Bhatpora, Anantnag.
Reliable sources said Trikuta Nagar police had earlier been arrested the thief for his involvement in theft cases. After completion of his questioning and police remand, the court had sent him to Kot Bhalwal jail. Channi Himmat police had taken the thief on remand from the court from Kot Bhalwal jail for questioning him in connection with another theft case.
Last night, the thief was brought out of the lock-up for dinner. When the thief was taking dinner, a senior police officer reached Channi Himmat police station for sudden inspection. The police personnel got busy with the officer and the thief escaped taking advantage of the situation.
Sources said the thief had scaled back boundary wall of the police station to escape.
Police detected escape of the thief when he had to be shifted back to the lock up after the dinner. He was not found in the police station. Immediately thereafter, police sounded an alarm and launched searches to nab the accused but he remained untraced when the reports last came in tonight.
Police authorities have place Munshi of the police station Altaf Hussain and Sentry on duty at the time of escape, Shamas Din under suspension for de-reliction of duty. A fresh First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against the thief for jumping police custody.
Police have also ordered an inquiry into the negligence of duty by the Munshi and the Sentry.
Sources said for the past quite sometime, no regular SHO has been posted at police station. Presently, DySP probationer Junaid Ahmad was officiating as SHO of Channi Himmat police station. He was third probationer DySP to be posted as SHO of Channi Himmat.
Sources said earlier, the regular SHOs used to work simultaneously with probationer DySPs to ensure that normal working of the police didn’t suffer. However, this practice has been given up and the probationer DySPs had been made full Incharge of the police stations.
Meanwhile, police have launched massive hunt at various places to nab the escaped thief.
Sources said the thief was reportedly involved in a number of thefts. Trikuta Nagar police after the arrest of the thief had worked out a number of thefts.
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