Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau
In a startling development, 255 prisoners who were released on parole from jails in Haldwani, Nainital, Almora, and Sitarganj in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand have absconded. Despite notices from the jail administration, these convicts have not returned, prompting authorities to seek police assistance in tracking them down.
The jail administration has prepared and handed over a list of the absconding criminals to the police in the respective stations. The breakdown of absconders includes 85 from Haldwani jail, 80 from Sitarganj, 50 from Almora, and 40 from Nainital jail. According to jail regulations, prisoners can be granted parole for up to one month under special circumstances, such as family deaths or marriages of close relatives. Furloughs for prisoners serving long sentences can extend to a maximum of 14 days. Permission for parole is usually obtained through state government or district magistrate approval.
Over the past six years, more than 2,000 prisoners have been granted parole across the four jails in Kumaon, with most returning as required. However, 255 individuals, many accused of serious crimes such as murder, robbery, and theft, remain at large. Most of these criminals have been absconding since the COVID-19 pandemic, when court orders permitted their temporary release to mitigate the spread of the virus in jails. Though initially granted three months of parole in 2019-20, many prisoners failed to return when their time was extended.
Jail officials said that the issue has reached the Dehradun headquarters, and instructions have been issued to ensure the capture of these criminals. “Most of the criminals who were released on parole during the COVID period have not returned yet. The list of absconders has been handed over to the police, and they will be apprehended soon,” said Dadhiram Maurya, DIG Jail.
