Prisoner flees with money from jail-run petrol pump

Hyderabad:Syed Sajid, a 28-year-old convicted prisoner lodged at Chanchalguda Central Prison, escaped in the early hours of Wednesday after giving a slip to the guards. Sajid, who was employed at the prisoner-run petrol filling station outside the jail premises, also stole Rs 68,500. Incidentally, his jail term was about to end in 10 months.

Dabeerpura police officials said that the petrol pump in which Sajid was working is located near the main road. “The jail inmates are employed in the petrol bunk that is run by the prison authorities. Sajid and one other prisoner were working in the bunk till 2 am. When the officials were closing the pump, and went to count the total amount collected, they found that Sajid was missing. The jail authorities alerted us,” said Dabeerpura inspector M. Mattaiah.

Jail officials said that Sajid’s record was clean and was about to finish his term. “He was selected because of his good conduct. Since he was lodged in the open prison and was about to finish his jail term, he had qualified for the job,” said Chanchal-guda jail superintendent B. Saidaiah.

Sajid used to handle the cash bag as well as fill fuel in cars. As several pumps were closed on Tuesday due to the survey, the collection at this pump was higher than usual, officials said. Sajid ran away with the entire collection of the day.

Cops are checking if he had pre-planned the escape, and if anybody came to pick him up. Sajid, of Pahadi Shareef, was convicted for abetment of suicide following his wife’s death. The court had convicted him in 2012. Syed Sajid was earlier lodged in Cherlapally jail, and was brought to Chanchalguda on August 9, said jail officials.

Jail authorities admit to negligence at FUEL pump:

Sajid’s escape has proved that the vigil on prisoners working at the petrol pump is weak. The pump, which should have shut shop by 12 midnight, was operational till 2 am in violation of rules. Moreover, despite the pump being located close to the main road and outside the prison premises, only two wardens were deployed there. Sources said that a total of 10 prisoners work at the pump in the night shift, and two guards cannot provide enough security. Also, CCTV cameras have not been installed at the pump so far.

The jail authorities, who are ordering an inquiry into the matter, admit that the guards posted at the petrol pump on Tuesday night were negligent. Officials said the jail committee selects the prisoners for the petrol pump job based on good behaviour. “All of them are selected based on their good conduct. Since the chances of misbehaviour is very less, we deploy only two guards at the filling station,” said B. Saidaiah, Chanchalguda jail superintendent.

Officials said they would install CCTV cameras soon at the filling stations, and would increase the number of guards at the filling station. The prisoners started running the filling station in January 2013, and prisoners are paid a salary for their service

Employed at the prisoner-run petrol filling station outside the jail premises, also stole Rs 68,500

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