As hundreds of terrorists managed to escape the Dera Ismail Khan jail following an attack late on Monday, an initial inquiry report says about 145 police personnel deployed at the prison did not even make an effort to offer resistance.
The initial report was submitted to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister on Tuesday.
CM’s adviser Malik Qasim submitted the probe report that said the first gate was destroyed by the attackers equipped with hand grenades and automatic weapons, but the other two gates were let open by security personnel.
The report said police personnel who were responsible for security of the prison’s outside building were not present at the time of attack and arrived there four-and-a-half hours later.
The report said the first and second defence lines of the jail had failed completely in defending and resisting the terrorists.
“If the first and second security layers had offered resistance, the army could have been engaged to protect the prison,” it further said.
Sources said the escaped prisoners had reached safe havens in North Waziristan Agency.
Nearly 250 prisoners, including hardcore militants, escaped on Monday midnight after insurgents armed with mortars and grenades attacked the Central Prison in Dera Ismail Khan.
At least 11 people, including six policemen, were killed and seven others injured in the brazen attack, Deputy Commissioner Mushtaq Jadoon told reporters.
“A total of 243 prisoners have escaped, six of them were later arrested by police,” he said, adding that “30 among the escaped prisoners were hardcore militants”.
He said militants had planted dozens of explosive devices in the jail and 14 of them had been defused so far. “Police and other law enforcement agencies are busy in clearing the jail,” he said.
Jadoon said around 50 to 60 militants managed to enter the jail as others fired rockets from outside.
Police claimed a suicide bomber had also been killed in retaliation.