Two child sex abuse accused re-arrested days after escaping from Srinagar Central Jail

Srinagar: Two persons accused in separate cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, who had escaped from Srinagar’s Central Jail, were arrested by police three days later, officials said on Wednesday.

A senior police official  was quoted saying that the accused fled from the jail on August 23, following which police launched a massive operation to trace and apprehend them.

The accused have been identified as Mukhtar Ahmad Gujjar, son of Mohammad Rafiq Gujjar, a resident of Sanglan Chittergul, Anantnag, and Farman Khan, son of Abdul Gani Khan, a resident of Sadanpora Ragistan.

Mukhtar is accused in FIR No. 20/2026, registered at Police Station Soura under Sections 137(2) and 65(1) of the BNS and Sections 3 and 4 of the POCSO Act.

Farman Khan is wanted in FIR No. 19/2026, registered at Police Station Lar under Sections 137(2) and 87 of the BNS and Sections 3 and 4 of the POCSO Act.

The official said further investigation is underway to ascertain the circumstances surrounding their escape from the high-security prison.