Rawalpindi police said on Wednesday that they had arrested four cops for their alleged involvement in the escape of a prisoner while he was being taken back to Jhelum Jail from a court in the garrison city.

According to a police statement, Assistant Sub-Inspector Tauqeer Hussain, Head Constable Mahboob Khan and Constable Qasim were arrested on the directives of Rawalpindi City Police Officer Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera.

Police said the escape took place in the Mandra area on Tuesday, identifying the prisoner as Hammad.

“The [arrested] cops and the prisoner’s accomplices had plotted to shift him to a private car. When Mandra police tried to stop the suspects, Hammad and his accomplices opened fire on them,” the police statement read, adding that while Hammad escaped, one of his accomplices, identified as Danial, was arrested.

A Kalashnikov was also found in his possession, police said.

The statement added that a case of the incident had been registered at the Mandra police station.

The first information report, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was registered on the state’s behalf through Mandra Station House Officer Syed Zakaul Hassan.

It invoked Sections 324 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 120-B (punishment for criminal conspiracy), 222 (intentional omission to apprehend on the part of a public servant bound to apprehend a person under sentence or lawfully committed), 223 (escape from confinement or custody negligently suffered by a public servant), 224 (resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention), 118 (concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made causing death or hurt) of the Pakistan Penal Code, Sections 155-C and 155-D of Police Order 2002, which pertain to misconduct by police officers, and multiple sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Meanwhile, search operations and police raids were under way to arrest Hammad, police statement said.

According to police, Hammad had a record of involvement in cases of “serious crime”.