PHAGWARA: A dramatic incident unfolded at the Kapurthala district court complex when a convicted drug smuggler attempted to escape immediately after being sentenced on Tuesday.
The Additional Sessions Court of Judge Laxmi Kapila held Jatinder Singh, a resident of Khukhrain village, guilty in an NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act) case registered in 2018 at the Kotwali Police Station. The court sentenced him to 10 years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh.
According to officials, after the sentencing, Naib Court Tarsem Singh was escorting the convict toward the lock-up (Bakshi Khana) when Jatinder Singh suddenly broke free and sprinted towards the exit of the court complex. Security personnel immediately raised an alarm.
Naib Court Tarsem Singh chased the fleeing convict, and with the assistance of a lawyer’s clerk present nearby, managed to apprehend him within moments, preventing the escape.
DSP Subdivision Sheetal Singh confirmed the incident and stated that additional legal action is being initiated against the accused for attempting to flee from police custody.