The jailbreak in Nabha is a great example of evil ingrained in the system. A prize catch has managed to escape with four more hard-core terrorists, raising the dangerous possibility of a revival of the much-dreaded Khalistan movement.
It also seems to have come as a shot in the arm for Pakistan’s ISI that has been hard at work to revive the separatist movement in Punjab, alongside the ongoing injuries that the Pakistani army is inflicting on Kashmir.
It is well-known that efforts are under way in Canada, a major base for Sikh separatists to woo men into the Khalistani Liberation Force. Its chief Harminder Singh Mintoo, incarcerated in the high-security jail, has managed escape with relative ease Sunday morning, when a gang of 10 armed men in police uniform reached there, opened fire, and got him and four other terrorists out.
The Akali-BJP government seemed lax in its attitude because of which the jail security machinery failed. It is quite possible that the incumbent political coalition may have become incapacitated in administering due to the proximity of the forthcoming state Assembly elections.
The dismissal of some top jail officials and putting the blame on Pakistan, as deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal did, would not help. It is clear that enough security cover was not provided at the high-security prison where dreaded inmates were locked up.
Question also arises why only one cop was injured even as 100 shots were fired by the gang. Former CM Amarinder Singh’s statement that the prison escape was made possible with the knowledge of the state government functionaries is worth a probe, though it may be prompted by political interests.
It is important that the government, as also the Union Home Ministry, owns up responsibility. This jailbreak has happened within weeks of another staged and dramatic escape and eventual slaying of fugitives outside of a prison in Madhya Pradesh.
As if this was not enough, a similar jail escape was enacted in Telangana two weeks ago. All these go to show how different states have neglected security cover of prisons and other establishments.
These attempted and successful bids would now embolden desperate prison inmates, spread across the length and breadth of the country, to attempt such escapes. Ensuring proper guarding of such individuals and prisons is a very important part of homeland security.