RAWALPINDI, May 31: Two under-trial prisoners briefly went missing during counting in Adiala Jail on Tuesday night, leading to a security alert and suspension of two head wardens, sources told Dawn.

The jail officials however quickly traced them in another barrack, smoking heroin-filled cigarettes, sources said.

When the jail staff started counting of prisoners of barrack no 4, they found Mubashir Qureshi, involved in a murder case, and Nasir Khan, facing a case of processing illegal arms, missing. A security alert was issued and a recount was ordered as nobody had been released.

According to jail authorities, the two prisoners were addicts and mentally disturbed.

Sources said they were found in the barrack 8, smoking heroin-filled cigarettes along with other inmates. They were shifted to their barrack. In the past some cases involving the jail's guards selling narcotics to prisoners have come to light.

Mohsin Rafiq, superintendent Adiala jail, said the two prisoners were addicts and “mentally weak”, adding that they got mixed up with others after they were allowed out of their barrack. He said two head wardens on duty have been suspended for negligence.

The Adiala Jail is housing more than 5,000 prisoners, almost double the number of inmates it was built to contain.