Undertrial milked jail official's cow, find investigators

The inquiry committee constituted to investigate the escape of an undertrial murder accused from the high-security Kathua jail in August found that the prisoner often milked a cow at the jail superintendent's official residence, sources said.

Jail department officials said the committee has concluded its investigation and recommended termination of services of the jail superintendent and a policeman.
The committee has also recommended that an FIR be registered against the two.

"A comprehensive report was submitted to the additional director general of prisons, who is examining the report," an official said.

Murder undertrial, Sohan Singh (35), escaped from the Kathua jail, about 90 km south of Jammu, Aug 22.

Sohan Singh was accused of a murder at his village in Bani, Kathua district, and had been on trial since 1998.

Prison authorities constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the escape.
If the recommendations of the committee are implemented, Jail Superintendent Bahadur Singh and Havaldar Ganesh Dass stand to lose their jobs and have an FIR registered against them.

Sources said the committee found the two men guilty of taking the prisoner out, breaking jail rules.

The committee found that the undertrial would be taken out of the jail premises and made to work as a domestic help at the official residence of the jail superintendent. He would also milk a cow there. On the day of his escape, Sohan Singh had been on his way to the jail superintendent's house.

A parallel investigation into the escape continues, as a case of escape from jail was also registered in the local police station in August.