Two POCSO undertrials who escaped from Central Jail Srinagar on August 23 re-arrested after 72-hour manhunt
K Koushal
The Jammu and Kashmir Home Department has sought an explanation from the Director General of Prisons over the escape of two undertrial prisoners from the high-security Central Jail Srinagar, questioning why the incident was not promptly brought to the department’s notice.
According to reports, the two undertrials, who were facing separate cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, escaped from the jail on August 23, 2026. They were subsequently apprehended by the Jammu and Kashmir Police following a three-day manhunt.
The fugitives have been identified as Mukhtar Ahmad Gujjar, son of Mohammad Rafiq Gujjar, a resident of Sanglan Chittergul in Anantnag, and Farman Khan, son of Abdul Gani Khan, a resident of Sadanpora Ragistan
According to the case details, Gujjar is facing charges in FIR No. 20/2026 registered at Police Station Soura under Sections 137(2) and 65(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), besides Sections 3 and 4 of the POCSO Act.
Khan is booked in FIR No. 19/2026 at Police Station Lar under Sections 137(2) and 87 of the BNS, along with Sections 3 and 4 of the POCSO Act.
In a communication dated September 1, 2026, bearing No. HOME-Jail/102/2026-10-HOME (7784581), the Home Department directed the Director General of Prisons, J&K, to explain the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The communication, issued by Under Secretary to the Government Pulkit Dutta, JKAS, specifically seeks reasons and circumstances as to why the escape of the two undertrial prisoners was not promptly brought to the notice of the Home Department.
The department has also sought clarification regarding the sanctioning of Earned Leave in favour of Saba Shawl and the subsequent handing over of the look-after charge of security and management of Central Jail Srinagar to Aejaz Ahmad Malik, asking why these developments were not brought to the Home Department’s notice.
