Tihar under-trial escapes en-route to Kharkhoda court

En-route for hearing a murder case to Kharkhoda District Court in Sonipat, a 23-year-old under-trial prisoner, lodged in Tihar Jail, managed to flee from police custody on Monday.

The incident took place at around 10:43 am when the vehicle, allotted to the Third Battalion for ferrying under-trial prisoners to and from the court back to the jail, stopped at a red light at the Bawana Bazaar area. This incident has raised serious questions on the security lapses that happen under the supervision of the Third Battalion.

Taking advantage of the crowd at the red light in the busy market area of Outer Delhi, the prisoner, Deepak Dabas Majra, fled from the clutches of the constable sitting with him at the back seat of the vehicle. It is alleged that Deepak was not handcuffed.

“Deepak was being taken to the Kharkhoda District Court for hearing in a case. On way to the court, the vehicle stopped at the Bawana Bazaar red light. He jumped from the car and fled towards the crowd,” confirmed a senior Delhi Police official. Lodged in Jail number 3, Majra was arrested in connection with a murder case and had been lodged in Tihar Central Jail since March 2016, said sources. “We have registered a case against Deepak Dabas Majra at the Bawana police station. Efforts are on to trace him,” said a senior police officer.

“At the time of the incident, one constable was seated with the under-trial while a head constable was sitting in the front with the constable who was driving the vehicle. It is still not clear whether Deepak was handcuffed or not. We are questioning the policemen who were present inside the police vehicle to ascertain the exact sequence of events,” added the official.

Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts to contact senior officials of the Third Battalion, they were unavailable for comment regarding the security lapse on their part.

In August last year, two under-trial prisoners were thrashed and strangled to death by seven members from a rival gang inside the jail van on their way back from Rohini Court to Tihar Jail. 

This had also led to questions on the security provided by the Third Battalion of DAP (Delhi Armed Police) responsible for ferrying under-trial prisoners to and from the court back to the jail.