Ludhiana, Feb 17 (IANS) Five police officials were arrested in Punjab after eight members of a notorious criminal gang escaped from the Ludhiana central jail late Saturday night.
The five policemen, including three head constables, have also been placed under suspension for dereliction of duty.
The policemen had taken 12 members of the Bangala gang, notorious for several burglaries and murders, to Kapurthala town, 100 km from here, for a court appearance Saturday.
One member of the gang had managed to escape from Kapurthala in the evening. The police team returned to Ludhiana very late after registering a case against the escaped gang member, Birju.
Seven others escaped by dodging the police officials while they were getting down from the police van outside the Ludhiana central jail.
Ishwar Singh, Ludhiana range deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, confirmed the arrest and suspension of the five policemen.
“We have sent teams to nab the criminals who escaped,” he said Sunday.
Fourteen members of Bangala were arrested in 2003 and another 23 were arrested in 2005.