Pak militants’ escape raises questions

NEW DELHI: The escape of three Pakistani terrorists in the Capital has triggered a storm, with the BJP saying it raised “several questions” and the Union home ministry seeking a report from Delhi Police and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), to which the trio was handed over for deportation. At the same time, Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna has ordered a magisterial probe into the episode which has left authorities red-faced.

The home ministry has also directed that steps be taken to ensure stringent security arrangements for the detention centre and transit custody of foreigners who are to be deported, according to sources.

BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said the circumstances under which the terrorists escaped were “highly suspicious”. He said it was “curious” that they all had the same eye problem and were taken to the same hospital.

“They were confirmed terrorists. It is a very serious reflection on the gross indifference of security agencies that their movement in the country’s capital was being treated in such a casual manner,” Mr Prasad said. The BJP demanded a “proper inquiry” into this lapse. Mr Prasad said India was on terrorists’ radar and such an incident would embolden terrorists and their patrons.

The three terrorists — Abdul Razzak, Mohammed Sadiq and Rafaqat Ali — arrested in connection with the Red Fort blasts in 2000 had served their sentence here and were to be deported to Pakistan. They were arrested with 17 kg of RDX and 50 kg of heroin the same year.

The terrorists, escorted by a lone policeman, escaped when they were taken to the Guru Nanak Eye Centre in central Delhi for a check up. They had been taken to a cycle market near Kotwali police station for lunch when they gave their escort a slip.

An alert was sounded in the Capital and neighbouring areas following the security lapse. They had been lodged at the Lampur centre as per an order issued under the Foreigners’ Act by the Special Branch of the Delhi police.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has announced a reward of Rs 50,000 each on any clue leading to the arrest of the Pakistani nationals and released their photographs. The police was also planning to prepare a fresh case against the escaped terrorists for violating the restraint order of the Foreigners Act.

The deputy commissioner of Delhi’s North-West District, D P Dwivedi, would inquire how the three terrorists managed to escape and submit his report in a week’s time. The Delhi Police has said the three were not under its custody.