Departmental action initiated against 4 jail personnel

GANGTOK, 16 Jan: Departmental action has been initiated against 4 Sikkim Jail police personnel on the escape of 6 convicts from the State Jail at Rongyek on 11 January. The four personnel include an officer who is the sub-jailer and of SI rank while the other 3 are head warders (Havaldars) at the jail. All 4 were issued show cause notices by the Jail Authority routed through the Home Department on 15 January and are required to respond within 7 days.
It is informed that action is more than likely against the 4 personnel who were on duty at the time when the jail break occurred. However, as per procedure, a show cause is issued first. The show cause requires them to explain the negligence on their part which resulted in the escaping of 6 murder convicts in broad daylight; it also requires them to explain why departmental enquiry or action should not be initiated against them in this regard.
It is informed that the sub jailer was the Duty Officer on the day of the escape, while the escapees were in the charge and supervision of the other 3 warders.
The departmental action has been initiated as per the Prison Manual, which interestingly, was only published last year by the State government. As per the prison manual, the accountability for such incidents as a jail break rests on the Duty Officer at that particular time and those who are on security detail.
Last week, a detailed report on the jail break had been submitted to the Home Department by the jail authorities as the state prison is under the charge of the Home Department. This report was examined by the Home Department and it is likely that there will be an enquiry into the causes and lapses which led to the escape of the 6 inmates from the state jail.
The 6 had escaped at around 1 pm on 11 January while they were on their way to Tea Break after having spent time at the workshop as part of their vocational training. Of the 6, three were apprehended that night itself and another 2 the next day. One of them, Rudra Thapa, is still at large.