PESHAWAR, Oct 3: A single-member Peshawar High Court bench on Monday took notice of inadequate security arrangements for inmates of Peshawar Central Prison during their shifting to the relevant courts for hearing and summoned the inspector general of prisons and superintendent of police (security), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on next hearing fixed for October 10. Justice Dost Mohammad Khan also put on notice the provincial advocate general.

The notice and summons were issued during the hearing into a bail plea of head constable of police Ilyas Khan, who was arrested over escape of two undertrials detained for militancy.

Ilyas is accused of conniving with militants for the undertrials’ escape, which led to killing of three policemen.

Last month, the accused was denied bail by an anti-terrorism court.

The escapees, Nadeem Abbas and Zakeem Shah, are reported to be linked to the banned militant outfit, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Dara Adamkhel.

The two escaped from the police custody when the militants fired at the personnel escorting them to the Khyber College of Dentistry (KCD) on August 12.

They were taken to KCD for dental treatment. Three of the four policemen accompanying them were killed in the firing, while the accused remained unhurt.

The accused was later taken into custody as police bosses suspected him of connivance with militants as he did not fire a single shot at assailants.

The provincial government also suspended the then superintendent and deputy superintendent of the Peshawar Central Prison along with the prison’s doctor.

During the hearing, Justice Dost observed that it was unfortunate that police and prison authorities didn’t ensure proper security arrangements while the movement of prisoners to the relevant courts and back.

He also said the court had taken notice of the suspected militants’ escape to check such recurrences in future.

The counsel for the accused, Khwaja Mohammad Gara, said his client was falsely implicated in the case.

He said there was no evidence on record against the head constable, adding that his client didn’t let undertrials escape from police custody.