Taking cognizance of the media reports that Amit Malik alias Bhura hatched his escape plan from his cell in Sudhowala Jail, the State Government has removed Jail IG Vinod Sharma from the position with immediate effect on Thursday. In place of Sharma, the State Government has appointed IG PVK Prasad. He has been given additional charge of Jail IG.
This amounts to a rupture in the tradition continuing since Uttarakhand for over14 years. The tradition was that an IAS officer kept on occupying the post of Jail IG. Although Uttarakhand police had been consistently demanding to leave the post for the police to chose or igonore. given the fact that the IAS officers were managing things well. Since the inception of Uttarkahand, Bijenrda Pal, Rakesh Sharma, NS Napalchayal, SK Das, DS Nath, SK Das, S Raju, and Bhaskaranand have served the post of Jail IG. Mention worthy, during the time Bhaskaranand was in charge of the jail a convict escaped. However, he was recaptured soon.
The State Government had appointed Sharma, an IAS officer on deputation, as Jail IG. Importantly, during his tenure, the infamous Roorkee shoot-out took place outside the jail. Now, with police having become butt of ridicule in the wake of the notorious gangster Bhura having escaped with the help of his aids, the State Government seemed to have no other option but to remove Sharma. On condition of anonymity an IAS officer said that “thanks to Sharma's inefficiency we have lost the post of Jail IG perhaps forever.”