RAHIM YAR KHAN: District Police Officer (DPO) Rizwan Umar Gondal suspended five police employees from service on Thursday after a suspect escaped from the judicial lock-up on Wednesday night.

All five policemen, who were involved in negligence, have been arrested.

Reports said a suspect arrested in a case registered under sections 336, 337, and 506B, was in the judicial lock-up of City Liaqatpur police station. With the permission of the in-charge (judicial) ASI Muhammad Saleem and four constables, the suspect was allowed to sleep in the police station’s courtyard. Late at night, while the on-duty policemen were asleep, the suspect managed to escape from the courtyard.

According to sources within the police department, the ‘influential’ suspect allegedly has strong relations with some senior police officials. He has also been seen in photographs with DSP Aslam, Station House Officer (SHO) Jam Aftab, and SHO Aslam. The suspect escaped allegedly in connivance with the on-duty policemen, the sources added.

Police spokesperson Saif Ali Wains in a WhatsApp message said all five police employees had been suspended and taken into custody on the orders of the DPO after a case was registered against them.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2023