Masood Azhar admits failed jail tunnel escape plan still haunts him
Masood Azhar, the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), has opened up about a botched jailbreak during his imprisonment in the 1990s.
In a recently authenticated audio clip, he shared how he tried to dig his way out of Jammu's Kot Bhalwal jail, but the tunnel was discovered just as he was about to escape.
The attempt failed—and it's something that still sticks with him.
"I still fear the jail authorities"
Azhar revealed that not only did intelligence sources claim he got stuck in the tunnel because of his weight, but the experience left a lasting mark.
"To this day, I still fear the jail authorities," he admitted, recalling being beaten and chained after getting caught.
For someone known as a terror mastermind, this rare moment of vulnerability stands out.
Why does Azhar matter?
Arrested in 1994 for entering India on a fake passport and later freed during the IC-814 hijacking swap in 1999, Azhar went on to found JeM—a group behind several major attacks in India.
His story is a reminder that even notorious figures have moments they can't shake off.