SOURCE: AFI
Indian security forces have been put on high alert following the escape of 19 prisoners, including a “dreaded militant commander,” from a jail in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoJK) on Sunday night.
Among the escapees is Ghazi Shehzad, a terror suspect with alleged ties to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Da’wah, led by Hafiz Saeed. Shehzad was reportedly earlier active in Jammu and Kashmir before his arrest for involvement in militancy. Some reports suggest he may have been exchanged as part of a prisoner swap.
Authorities believe Shehzad orchestrated the jailbreak, which involved taking hostage police personnel guarding the low-security jail in the Rawalakot area of PoJK. One inmate was reportedly killed in a shootout during the escape.
A large-scale manhunt is underway throughout PoJK to recapture the fugitives, most of whom are believed to be convicted criminals or undertrials facing criminal charges.
The Indian Army and Border Security Force (BSF), responsible for guarding the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, have been placed on high alert in response to this development.