MAPUSA/PANAJI
In what appears to be a pre-planned escape bid, an undertrial at the Colvale jail escaped from the custody of escort police late Tuesday night after his accomplices sprayed pepper powder in the eyes of a policeman escorting him outside the North Goa District Hospital, Mapusa, police said.
The undertrial inmate and one of two accomplices were back in handcuffs by Wednesday evening with the Crime Branch, Pernem Police and Mapusa Police combining forces to trace them.
ESCAPE
The undertrial prisoner, identified as Vivek Kumar Gautam, escaped along with two of his accomplices who also opened fire on one of the policemen.
Gautam, who is a resident of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, was undergoing trial in connection with an extortion case in 2019 in Porvorim. He is also involved in a trespass case in Anjuna and reportedly involved in a criminal case at Jhansi in UP.
According to sources, the saga began on Tuesday evening when the undertrial apparently complained of stomach upset and was initially taken to the jail dispensary and later referred to the district hospital.
Two police constables belonging to the escort cell accompanied the undertrial from Central jail to the district hospital in a jail ambulance.
At around 11.45 pm after examination, the undertrial whose one hand was handcuffed and secured by the police constable was being escorted to the ambulance.
“As he was being led to the parking lot the undertrial gave a forceful jerk and snapped the chain from the handcuff and took to his heels. The police constable chased him but an accomplice of the undertrial who was hiding outside the gate sprayed pepper powder on the constable,” a police officer informed.
A senior police officer informed that Gautam’s associates were armed with pepper spray and a country made pistol and had come on a two-wheeler.
Despite blinded in one eye, the police constable managed to catch hold of the accomplice and began to wrestle with him outside the gate even as the undertrial escaped on a scooter with the other accomplice.
The two “ the undertrial and the accomplice “ returned to rescue their partner and on seeing him wrestling with the cop, one of them fired a round from a country made pistol.
“On hearing the gun shot, the cop slowed down and seizing the opportunity, the accomplice along with the other two sped away triple seat,” a police officer informed.
“Fortunately, no one was injured but a live magazine was recovered from the site,” the police officer added.
CAPTURE
As soon as the escape was reported, police declared an alert across the State and increased vigil at the borders and all railway stations and bus-stands.
Crime Branch of Goa Police was roped in to trave the escaped undertrial inmate. By Wednesday evening, Vivek Kumar Gautam was nabbed by the Crime Branch at Mandrem following an intensive manhunt.
One of his accomplices, Mohit Kumar Gautam alias Ankit was traced at Patradevi and was caught by Mapusa Police with help from Pernem Police.
PROBE
Meanwhile, the police said a case of attempt to murder and under other sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act was filed against Gautam and two others.
“We are looking at CCTV cameras and analysing it,” the police officer said.
Police also questioned the jail ambulance driver who first dropped the jail inmate and the two policemen at the district hospital and reportedly went back to Colvale jail apparently to fetch his bike keys.
“We interrogated the ambulance driver as to why he went back to the jail leaving the undertrial and the escort police behind,” a senior police official said.
