2 min readDelhiApr 12, 2016 06:21 AM IST
First published on: Apr 12, 2016 at 04:46 AM IST
As the van neared the main market in Bawana, Deepak Dabas managed to slip out of the handcuffs and escape. Amit Mehra
The escape of an undertrial prisoner from a jail van Monday has once again underscored security lapses in the ferrying of prisoners. In August last year, two prisoners were beaten to death by members of another gang inside a moving prison van. On January 2, another undertrial prisoner was beaten to death by three other prisoners inside a jail van.
In the wake of the murders, the Delhi Police had decided to deploy “young” and “well-built” personnel in the vans to accompany undertrial prisoners being ferried from the jail to court and back.
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However, sources said proper procedures were not followed while ferrying the prisoner, Deepak Dabas, to a court in Haryana. As per the norms, there should have been more policemen to escort the prisoner.
Meanwhile, the driver of the van, Narender Kumar (53), told The Indian Express that he was not the regular driver. He said he was asked by a senior officer to drive the vehicle as there was a shortage of drivers in the Third Battalion of Delhi Armed Police (DAP) — responsible for ferrying undertrials from jail to court and back.
Narendra said, “The three of us together could not control the prisoner.” He said constable Sitaram, who was sitting with Dabas, is 49 years old. “He still tried to stop Dabas, injuring himself in the process. Despite this, Sitaram chased Dabas but he fled into a bylane,” said Narendra.
Sources also said the van was not one meant to ferry prisoners, and is normally used by policemen. Due to the lack of jail vans in the unit, police vans are used to ferry prisoners, added the sources.
Sources added that when the policemen knew Dabas lives in the same area and was aware of its topography, they should have taken another route to the court.
The handcuff too was large, allowing Dabas to easily pull out his hand, said sources.
As the van neared the main market in Bawana, Deepak Dabas managed to slip out of the handcuffs and escape. Amit Mehra
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