RAWALPINDI, Sept 4: As many as nine handcuffed under-trial prisoners escaped from police custody after injuring a policeman and two passers-by women at Kahuta on Thursday.

The incident occurred when a group of 27 under-trial prisoners, including a woman, was brought to Kahuta from Adiala Jail in a prisoner van (RIR-2391) for the hearing of their cases in the court of civil judge, the police said. Seven constables and an ASI were guarding the prisoners, they added.

The police report suggested that as the prisoners were getting off the van on the court premises, Sarfraz, alias Sajoo, who allegedly masterminded the escape plan, along with some other prisoners opened fire on the police party from inside the van.

As a result, ASI Ijaz Ahmed and two passers-by, Maqsooda Bagum and Malika Khatoon, were injured.

According to a police official, the weapons were given to the prisoners by their relatives at the court premises. However, another senior police official was of the view that the weapons could have been provided to them in the jail.

The police said nine prisoners escaped, however, four of them — Wahid Kiani, Yasir Iqbal Tahir Mehmood and Mohammad Bashir — were later arrested. Yasir, they added, was involved in a murder case.

Meanwhile, a large-scale manhunt was launched to arrest the remaining five prisoners — Tahir Mehmood, Ishfaq, Safeer Ahmed, Munir Ahmed and Serfraz Shah.

After the incident, senior police officials, including the SSP Rawalpindi, arrived at the spot and shifted the injured to Holy Family Hospital, where ASI Ijaz and one of the injured woman were operated upon. According to doctors, both the victims were stable.

Malika Khatoon, one of the injured women, told Dawn from the hospital bed that she was shot in the leg.

A police team, headed by SP Jan Mohammad, has been the task to investigate the incident. When contacted, the DPO Rawalpindi was not available for comments.