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Crime
Two POCSO Undertrials Escape from Srinagar Central Jail, Officials Say
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 23 Aug 2026, 09:38 PM
👁 19
Officials confirmed that two men charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act escaped from Srinagar’s central jail on Thursday.
Srinagar’s central jail reported the escape of two inmates who were under trial for offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Jail officials said the two men managed to flee the facility on Thursday, prompting an immediate alert.
The escapees were being held on separate POCSO cases, each awaiting trial in the Jammu and Kashmir courts. Their identities have not been disclosed, but they were classified as undertrials, meaning they had not yet been convicted.
Following the breach, senior prison officials launched a search operation within the jail premises and coordinated with local police to track the fugitives. A special team has been deployed to investigate how the prisoners circumvented security measures.
Authorities have warned the public to remain vigilant and have urged anyone with information about the escapees’ whereabouts to contact the police. The incident has raised concerns about security protocols in high‑security prisons across the region.
The investigation is ongoing, and officials have not ruled out the possibility of external assistance in the escape.
The escapees were being held on separate POCSO cases, each awaiting trial in the Jammu and Kashmir courts. Their identities have not been disclosed, but they were classified as undertrials, meaning they had not yet been convicted.
Following the breach, senior prison officials launched a search operation within the jail premises and coordinated with local police to track the fugitives. A special team has been deployed to investigate how the prisoners circumvented security measures.
Authorities have warned the public to remain vigilant and have urged anyone with information about the escapees’ whereabouts to contact the police. The incident has raised concerns about security protocols in high‑security prisons across the region.
The investigation is ongoing, and officials have not ruled out the possibility of external assistance in the escape.