TUMAKURU: A Nigerian woman has escaped from the detention centre for foreign women near Dibbur on the outskirts of Tumakuru, raising serious concerns over security at the facility.
The incident happened on October 20, when Adewole Adethu Anu (33) alias Regina Zara alias Aisha, a Nigerian national, allegedly cut an iron bar at the bottom of a window and escaped from the building. Police have launched a search operation to trace her.
Questions are raised over the absence of adequate preventive measures despite several escapes over the years. In July 2023, foreign women lodged at the centre allegedly attacked the staff and women cops. Several police personnel sustained injuries.
The detention centre has been functioning for several years and houses foreign women facing criminal cases or those found staying in the state after the expiry of their visas and passports. However, the centre does not have a high compound wall or CCTV cameras, making it easier for inmates to escape without being noticed. Security personnel deployed at the centre face difficulties due to the absence of proper accommodation or a designated room to rest. During rain, they are forced to take shelter in a corner inside the premises, sources said.
“We just provide the guards for the security. We have written to the government long time back that the rented facility is not adequate,” said Superintendent of Police Ashok KV.