Two POCSO Accused Who Escaped Srinagar Central Jail Arrested
Two inmates booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act escaped from the Central Jail in Srinagar on Sunday, August 23, 2026. Officials confirmed they scaled the front-side wall of the high-security prison to make their break.
High-Security Escape from Srinagar Facility
Authorities identified the escapees as Farman Khan, hailing from Sadanpora in Rajasthan, alongside Mukhtar Ahmed Gujar, who comes from Sanglan Chittergul located in the Anantnag district of south Kashmir.
CISF Oversight and Facility Security
The Central Jail in Srinagar is guarded by personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). They were deployed to provide an armed cover to the facility in October 2023 alongside the Central Jail in Jammu.
According to officials, the force is responsible for securing both the inner and outer perimeters of these sensitive facilities through trained manpower, modern surveillance systems, and access control measures.
Pending Criminal Cases and Charges
Khan was lodged in the Srinagar jail on June 23. His detention followed an FIR registered against him at Lar police station in Ganderbal district under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 3 and 4 of the POCSO Act.
The facility received Gujar on April 13 under a separate FIR filed at the Soura police station in Srinagar, which invoked various sections of the BNS alongside sections 3 and 4 of the POCSO Act.
Manhunt and Public Safety Directives
Following a three-day manhunt, the two escapees were traced and apprehended in Rajasthan, according to Daily Excelsior.
Before the capture, police issued a wanted notice for the two men and announced a reward for information leading to their arrest. Authorities urged the public to share any information that could help trace or apprehend the suspects by contacting the nearest police station or dialing 112.
Concurrently, local authorities issued directions instructing Srinagar schools and madrasas to hand over students only to parents or authorized persons, as security measures remained active.