14 prisoners escape from Adiala jail van

A major security breach occurred on Monday when 14 undertrial prisoners escaped from an Adiala Jail prison van near Chakian Stop in the jurisdiction of Sihala Police Station while being transported back to Rawalpindi's Central Jail after a court appearance.

Islamabad: A major security breach occurred on Monday when 14 undertrial prisoners escaped from an Adiala Jail prison van near Chakian Stop in the jurisdiction of Sihala Police Station while being transported back to Rawalpindi’s Central Jail after a court appearance. Police have since recaptured four of the escapees, while search operations continue to locate the remaining ten.

According to police officials, the prison van was carrying 36 undertrial prisoners who had appeared before the Tehsil Court in Kahuta. As the vehicle reached Chakian Stop, police personnel heard loud arguments and commotion coming from inside the van.

When the officer in charge, Sub-Inspector Imtiaz, opened the rear compartment with other personnel to investigate the disturbance, unidentified prisoners allegedly threw chili powder into the eyes of the police officers. Taking advantage of the confusion, 14 prisoners fled in different directions.

The sudden escape created panic among the escorting police team. Officers immediately launched a pursuit and successfully rearrested four of the fleeing prisoners at the scene. However, ten inmates managed to escape despite the immediate response.

Following the incident, City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Khalid Hamdani took notice of the security lapse and directed senior officers, including SSP Operations Malik Tariq Mehmood and SP Saddar Anam Sher, to personally supervise the investigation and search operation.

Police teams from Kahuta and Kallar Syedan, along with Islamabad Police, conducted a joint search operation across nearby areas. Despite extensive efforts, authorities were unable to locate the remaining fugitives by the time of the latest update.

Officials have also begun preparing detailed profiles of each escaped prisoner in coordination with Adiala Jail authorities. Investigators are reviewing the charges against the fugitives, their residential addresses, and possible locations where they may attempt to hide.

A spokesperson for Rawalpindi Police confirmed that all the escaped individuals are undertrial prisoners facing various criminal cases. Since the incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Islamabad Police, both law enforcement agencies are working closely together to apprehend the remaining suspects.

Police said a formal inquiry has also been launched under the supervision of senior officers to determine how the escape occurred and whether there was any negligence on the part of the escort staff. Authorities have assured that those responsible for any security failures will face strict departmental action, while efforts to arrest the remaining escaped prisoners continue.