PNS | HARIDWAR
A member of the Valmiki gang who had escaped from the Haridwar district jail in October last year while acting as a character in the Vanar Sena during a Ramlila, was caught by the Special Task Force and local police after an encounter here late on Thursday night. Pankaj Valmiki was serving a life sentence for murder in the jail and had managed to jump over the prison wall during the Ramlila performance last year. According to the police, the escaped convict was confronted at a vacant ground in BHEL sector II on Thursday night. He reportedly fired at the police, in response to which the police fired back and hit him in the leg. He was taken to the nearest hospital for treatment, from where he was referred to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh.
Valmiki was working for notorious criminal Praveen Valmiki. A resident of Ismailpur area in Laksar, Pankaj and another inmate Ramkumar had escaped from the jail in Roshnabad last year. While Ramkumar was arrested by the police a few days later in Haridwar, Valmiki had managed to elude the authorities so far. Haridwar senior superintendent of police Pramendra Dobhal commended the police officers for nabbing the absconding convict. It is pertinent to mention here that Pankaj Valmiki was serving a life sentence for murder while Ramkukar was an undertrial. The police are investigating to ascertain who helped Valmiki find shelter and hide from the authorities while he was absconding, officials said.
