One more tunnel found in Burail jail

Burail jail had another tunnel. This, 20-foot-long tunnel, was found in a search carried out by the UT police today. The tunnel, half-dug, started from Cell No 4, where the other four accused in Beant assasination case were lodged. It was to open in Barrack No 7 from where the others escaped two days ago. Those housed in the Cell No 4 are Shamsher Singh, Nasib Singh, Navjot Singh and Lakhwinder Singh.

The tunnel, the police say, was found by the jail authorities in June, 2002, but was filled, with jail superintendent D.S. Rana and his subordinates in the know. The higher-ups, including the then inspector general (Prisons), M Ramsekhar or the police, were not informed. A news report prompted Ramsekhar to mark an inquiry to the then additional deputy commissioner Gynaesh Bharti, who ruled that the tunnel was a fiction.

‘‘The tunnel was discovered by warders Mangtu Sharma and Hira Nand. They informed the jail superintendent. The authorities filled it up, cemented the opening and told the warders to mind their business,’’ senior police officials say. Sharma and Nand have told the police that two weeks ago too, they informed the jail authorities of noises from Barrack No 7.

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Today, the police took Sharma to the jail where he pointed to the spot in Cell No 4 where the tunnel was.

Meanwhile, police have procured production warrants of Aabid Mehmood, the Pakistani spy who is lodged in Burail Jail.