RAWALPINDI, Jan 3: An under-trial prisoner escaped from police custody, while being shifted to the district courts from Adiala Jail on Thursday.

Awal Khan was arrested by the Westridge police in a robbery case six months ago. The accused was being brought to the district courts on Thursday to be presented before Civil Judge Hidayatullah Shah.

The in-charge of Adiala Jail, ASI Mohammad Nazir, said he was shifting 36 prisoners to the district courts in a prisoners’ van (RIK-1883) when Awal Khan escaped from police custody.

The accused was found missing when the van stopped at a traffic signal near the district courts.

After the incident, the in charge, judicial lock-up, informed the deputy superintendent headquarters about the matter.

Seven policemen, including ASI Mohammad Nazir, Constable Mohammad Pervez, Constable Wajid Ali, Constable Qamar Abbas, Constable Shahid Naveed and Mohammad Iqbal, were dismissed from service for showing negligence to the accused.

This is the second prisoner to have escaped from police custody while being transported from Adiala jail to the district courts.

Earlier, two handcuffed persons involved in a robbery and kidnapping cases were shot injured after they tried to escape from police custody on December 7 last year.