Bannu attack investigation: Police, agencies blamed for incident

Investigation report revealed that of 93 police officers that had been deployed for duty, only 30 were present.


Web Desk April 16, 2012

PESHAWAR: An investigation report of the Bannu Central Jail attack has blamed security agencies and the police for the incident at the jail compound.

A report submitted to the Ministry of Interior has also revealed that 93 police officers had been deployed for duty and only 30 were present when the attack was carried out. Only six FC personnel out of 20 were present at the compound.

Nearly 400 inmates had escaped during the attack, including certain high profile Taliban militants. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was said to have claimed responsibility for the attack stating that most of the freed prisoners had reached ‘their destination’. A senior police official confirmed that out of a total of 944 prisoners, 384 prisoners, some of them most-wanted criminals, had escaped.

According to the investigation report, approximately 100 armed insurgents in 25 cars had carried out the attack. It had earlier been reported that 200 militants had attacked the jail compound.

During the attack, 33 prisoners had surrendered themselves and the number had later increased to 64. A blockade also resulted in the arrest of four prisoners.

The prisoners stated that they were forced to flee during the terrorist attack because they were threatened to be killed if they did not escape. They said the terrorists planned to blow up the jail compound.

Police had earlier confirmed that Adnan Rashid – a former junior technician of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) allegedly involved in a plot to assassinate former military ruler Pervez Musharraf – was among the 384 prisoners who escaped from the Bannu Central Jail.

According to DIG Bannu Iftikhar Ahmed security at the jail has been tightened. The DIG had also suggested that mobile phone jammers be installed at the compound.

In the aftermath of the attack carried out on the Bannu Central Jail, Chief Minister Haider Khan Hoti suspended Inspector General of Police (IG) Bannu Central Jail, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Bannu Jail and Commissioner Bannu.

COMMENTS (16)

under world | 11 years ago | Reply dig was there at 2 am.ALONE.all concerned were called but they became deaf.now he is osd.where was the dpo.and army as they were called on time
under world | 11 years ago | Reply the dig was there at 2 in the night he had also called the army on time ,but neither the police nor the army came on time.he couldnt fought alone.he is quite because both army and police will be degraded.though it was not supposed to be him to be there instead dpo should have.but dpo is spared.commisioner also is being treated unfairly.
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