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Khalistan Liberation Force chief, four others escape in India jailbreak

Mintoo was taken away by group of armed men who stormed Punjab's Nabha Central Jail early on Sunday

News Desk November 27, 2016

Khalistan Liberation Force chief Harminder Singh Mintoo. PHOTO COURTESY: sikh24.com

A pro-Khalistan leader and four other high-profile suspects escaped from an Indian prison early on Sunday after a group of 10 armed men wearing police uniforms stormed the facility.

#FLASH 10 armed men break into Nabha jail in Punjab, take along Khalistan Liberation Force chief Harminder Singh Mintoo & 4 others.
— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2016

At least two police personnel were injured during the jailbreak as the armed militants opened indiscriminate firing on the guards at Nabha Central Jail in Punjab before taking away the chief of Khalistan Liberation Force and four other suspects, according to NDTV.

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#PunjabJailBreak Visuals from outside Nabha jail where 10 armed men freed Khalistan terrorist Harminder Mintoo &4 others,police team at spot pic.twitter.com/zLS4rgwJyx
— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2016

49-year-old Harminder Singh Mintoo has been implicated in at least 10 terror-related cases, including an attack on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim. He was rounded up from Delhi airport in November 2014 in a major breakthrough for Punjab Police’s crackdown on pro-Khalistan forces. The four other suspects who fled the prison were identified as Vicky Gondar, Gurpreet Sekhon, Neeta Deol and Vikramjit.

#UPDATE: The 10 armed men who broke into Nabha jail were wearing police uniform & fired over 100 rounds. Police now at spot, probe underway.
— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2016

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The armed men, who reached the Nabha prison in two cars, reportedly attacked the first guard with a knife and forced their way into the prison. They fired over 100 rounds in the air and at guards before escaping with Mintoo and the other men.

According to Indian media, police in the Punjab have been put on high alert after the incident and searches have been launched to nab the suspects. The Punjab's neighbouring states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have also been alerted.