Pakistani Nationals Held Within 24 Hours After J&K Juvenile Home Escape
Following the jailbreak, Jammu and Kashmir Police launched an extensive manhunt across the region, establishing checkpoints, conducting raids at multiple locations, and deploying specialised teams to track the escapees
SRINAGAR: Two Pakistani nationals who escaped from a juvenile home in a village close to International Border (IB) in Jammu district were apprehended within 24 hours of the incident, officials said on Tuesday.
However, the local gangster who fled with them remains at large, and efforts to trace and arrest him are ongoing.
The major security incident unfolded on Monday evening when the trio escaped from the Juvenile Observation Home in the border-area township of R.S. Pura.
According to officials, the trio — identified as Pakistani citizens Muhammad Sanaullah and Ahsan Anwar, along with local gangster Karajeet Singh, also known as Gugga, a resident of J&K's Dablehar village— assaulted the police personnel on duty before fleeing the facility at around 5 p.m. The escape took place after the inmates reportedly attacked Special Police Officer Vinay Kumar and Head Constable Parveen Kumar, both of whom sustained injuries and were given immediate medical treatment. The entire incident is said to have been captured on CCTV, and the fugitives were suspected to have escaped with a pistol, intensifying concerns among security agencies already alert due to the sensitive border location.
Following the jailbreak, Jammu and Kashmir Police launched an extensive manhunt across the region, establishing checkpoints, conducting raids at multiple locations, and deploying specialised teams to track the escapees. The search operation extended into neighbouring Punjab, where the two Pakistani nationals were traced to a village in Ludhiana and arrested within 24 hours of the incident. Officials described the operation as swift and coordinated, crediting prompt intelligence gathering and inter-state police cooperation for the successful arrests.
Both Pakistani nationals had inadvertently crossed into India and were not known to have militancy links, though authorities emphasised that a detailed investigation was underway.
Officials confirmed that the third escapee, gangster Gugga — who had previously been arrested in connection with the murder of rival gang leader Sumit Jandiyal, also known as Gataru — remains at large. His escape has heightened concerns as investigators examine how the inmates managed to obtain a country-made pistol inside the observation home.
Senior officers, including Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat and Inspector General Jammu range) Bhim Sen Tuti, earlier during the day on Tuesday visited the facility and reviewed the security lapses that enabled the breakout. Six police personnel have been suspended for alleged dereliction of duty, and officials are probing potential conspiracy angles, including whether the inmates received external assistance.
The Juvenile Observation Home in R.S. Pura, which houses undertrials and juveniles in conflict with the law, has now come under scrutiny for its security protocols and oversight mechanisms. Police have reiterated that cognisance of the matter has been taken, a formal investigation is in progress, and efforts to apprehend the remaining fugitive are being intensified. The incident has prompted renewed debate over the handling of non-juvenile offenders lodged in such facilities and the broader security implications of housing foreign nationals near an international border.