Armed men attack police van; accused escapes

A criminal managed to flee from police custody after six armed men on a car attacked the police van he was being transported from court back to jail on Pipli-Kurukshetra road here today.
According to Police Chaownki Incharge, Sector-7, Urban Estate, Raj Pal, the Punjab police had brought Rajesh Pehalwan from Patiala (Punjab) jail to Kurukshetra to appear in a local court in case of assault and riot registered against him here last year.
While returning, about six armed men traveling in car stopped the van in front of a petrol pump on Pipli road and started beating the two policemen carrying the accused.

They tried to snatch the carbine from one of the constables and put chilli powder in the eyes of the two policemen and made their way with handcuffed Pehalwan.
On getting information, Superintendent of Police, Simardeep Singh immediately reached the spot and began the hunt for the accused.
A case under section 224, 225 IPC has been registered here. Police barrricades have been erected at many places. Four police teams have been constituted to trace the accused, police said.
The SP told reporters that Rajesh Pehalwan was in Patiala jail in connection with a large number of cases including under NDPS Act and ransom.