Woman Undertrial Escapes Dharamsala District Jail, Recaptured Within Three Hours in Nurpur
A brief security scare unfolded at the Lala Lajpat Rai District and Open Jail in Dharamsala on Tuesday morning after a woman undertrial prisoner escaped from the women's barracks. The incident triggered an intensive search operation by the Kangra Police and prison authorities, who successfully recaptured the fugitive in Nurpur within three hours.
Arvind Sharma
Jun 30, 2026 09:11
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Dharamsala, June 30, 2026: A brief security scare unfolded at the Lala Lajpat Rai District and Open Jail in Dharamsala on Tuesday morning after a woman undertrial prisoner escaped from the women's barracks. The incident triggered an intensive search operation by the Kangra Police and prison authorities, who successfully recaptured the fugitive in Nurpur within three hours.
According to the jail administration, the escaped undertrial has been identified as Arvinder Kaur, a resident of Baltoha Jodhsingh Wala village in Patti Tehsil of Punjab's Tarn Taran district. She was lodged in the Dharamsala jail in connection with a drug trafficking case registered at Nurpur Police Station (FIR No. 52/2026) under Sections 21 and 29 of the NDPS Act.
Officials said Arvinder Kaur escaped from the women's barracks at approximately 9:11 a.m. on Tuesday, triggering panic within the prison administration. The local police were immediately informed, following which district-wide checkpoints were established and an extensive search operation was launched.
Owing to the swift coordination between the Kangra Police and the prison department, the undertrial was traced and apprehended in the Nurpur area at around 12 noon by personnel of the Nurpur Sub-Jail with assistance from the police.
District Jail Superintendent Vikas Bhatnagar said the prison department has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident. An officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police has been assigned to investigate the circumstances that enabled the prisoner to escape and to recommend measures to prevent such security lapses in the future. Departmental as well as legal proceedings have also been initiated.
In recognition of their prompt and exemplary action, Deepak Kumar and Pritam Kumar, warders posted at the Nurpur Sub-Jail, will be honoured with the Director General of Prisons (DG Disc) Award and a certificate of commendation. The awards will be presented by Director General of Prisons Abhishek Trivedi for their outstanding contribution in recapturing the escaped undertrial within a remarkably short span of three hours.
