LUDHIANA: Two inmates escaped from the
juvenile home at Shimlapuri by allegedly breaking the barrack grills in the wee hours on Wednesday.
According to home officials, the inmates broke the grills and used an electricity wire to climb down the wall. But cops probing the incident have raised doubts over the claim and said the same was being verified.
Both escapees -- 15-year-old boy from Patiala and 17-year-old boy from Jamalpur -- were undergoing trials in separate cases. The 15-year-old boy was sent to the juvenile home on January 7 and 17-year-old boy on January 5.
Superintendent of juvenile home
Raj Kumar said the incident happened at around 3.30am. "The accused broke the grills of the barrack on the first floor and cut the iron net. Further they used an electricity wire to climb down a wall from the rear side of the juvenile home," he said.
Sources, meanwhile, pointed out that it was hard to believe that the juveniles could climb down a wall using an electricity wire that can barely carry human weight.
Soon after the incident, cops were called following which the sub-divisional magistrate (west)
Damanjeet Singh Mann also reached the spot for an inquiry.
Quoting security officers of the home, ASI Balbir Singh, in-charge,
Basant Park police post, said the inmates suffered some injuries while escaping through the grills. When guards noticed, they raised an alarm and informed senior officials. But by that time the juveniles had climbed down the building using an electricity wire.
The police have alerted all nearby police stations with the identity of undertrials. Importantly in May 2015, four inmates had escaped in the similar way by cuttings the grills of the barrack.
Subhead: 10 security guards for over 100 inmates
The Ludhiana juvenile home has a capacity of 100 inmates in seven barracks. While juveniles from other districts are sent here, officials claim there was need for deploying more security guards.
The locals residing near the juvenile home maintained that people jumping off the wall to enter or exit the premises was a common site.
Sunil Kumar of Shimlapuri, whose house is located adjoining the juvenile home, claimed that he had witnessed people jumping off the wall to enter and exit the premises, though he did not know who these people were.
When TOI team visited the spot, a resident mentioned that the tree alongside the wall was being used to climb down the 10-foot wall. "The tree alongside the wall helps people jumping off the wall. I have approached the authorities of the juvenile home twice to report the matter, but to no avail. Once I asked a man who was jumping off the wall about his identity and he said he was a labourer and working inside the home. He was using that route since it was a shortcut, he had added."
When asked if it was possible for juveniles to escape the premises without the connivance of personnel, cops probing the incident said it was a matter of investigation.
"Prima facie it appears that the accused cannot jump off the building using an electricity wire. When authorities told us that the duo has climbed down the wall using wire, we got one plastic chair tied with the wire and tried to lower it. But the wire could not bear even chair's weight. In a similar way, we tied up two bricks with wire and again it failed to lift the weight. That raises questions over the claims as to how the two teenagers could jump off the wall using that wire," said a senior police official who visited the spot.
Cops probing the case said the juvenile home has about 10 security guards including the cops provided by Punjab police. But only one or two guards remain near the barrack and others might have slept. "Around 3:30am, one guard deployed outside gate of observation home makes tea for all. Then he knocks the gate and sends tea for other guards. The accused could have hidden near the gate and fled when the gate was opened."
Non-functional CCTV cameras
There are total eight CCTV cameras installed on the premises, but none of them are functional. Officials claimed that the department did not have adequate funds to get cameras repaired for which they have also written to the authorities in the past but to no avail.
SDM (West) Damanjeet Singh Mann said, "Yes, the CCTV cameras are not functioning since long in the juvenile home due to the issue of funds. The matter would be taken up with the authority concerned."
Asked about the involvement of any official, the SDM said, "The investigation is on initial stage. Anyone found guilty would face action."
