Police have arrested five persons in connection with the dramatic escape of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Naveed alias Abu Hanzalla from a Srinagar hospital.

The government also placed Superintendent of Srinagar Central Jail under suspension till further inquiry while the  “entire medical and paramedical staff” at the jail will be “removed and replaced within next 24 hours,” reports quoting officials said.

Police conducted overnight raids at several places in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district and arrested five persons who were allegedly involved in helping the escape of Pakistani militant Naveed Jutt alias Abu Hanzalla from police custody, reports quoting officials said.

Naveed escaped after his aides shot two of the three policemen who were accompanying him to Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) here for medical check-up on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Central Jail Srinagar has been suspended “pending inquiry into the incident,” reads an order issued by the Principal Secretary Home Department.

He has been attached with Director General of Police, Prisons, till further orders.

A report in ‘The Quint’ quoted Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Saleem-ur-Rehman, as saying that the government has made it clear that the entire medical and paramedical staff from Srinagar Central Jail should be removed and replaced within next 24 hours.

Rehman disclosed that the service records of the medical staff posted at the jail were being examined by the administrative department in Jammu, and orders of their attachment and replacement were expected by Thursday evening or Friday.

(Pakistani militant Naveed who escaped from police custody on Tuesday)