Theft accused escapes police custody, nabbed

KOCHI: It was a sleepless night for police officers as an Assam native arrested in a theft case managed to escape from their custody at Kunnathunad station on Monday night. However, the police nabbed Najmul Hakh, 25, of Chillangani, Simaluguri, Nagaon, from Perumbavoor on Tuesday morning.

The police had arrested Najmul and his friends Ashiqul Islam and Ikramul Hakh on Monday for stealing laptops and hard discs from a tile company at Chelakulam. Based on a probe, the police identified the accused persons and managed to arrest them. After questioning, the police decided to produce them at the court on Monday night.

The incident took place around 8.30pm when the police were getting ready to produce them before the magistrate. Ashiqul and Najmul were handcuffed together. However, Najmul managed to unlock the handcuff and escape through the front entrance of the Kunnathunad station. The police later produced other two accused persons before the magistrate and remanded them in judicial custody. A report regarding the escape of the arrested person was filed before the magistrate court.

The police team from Kunathunad station searched the nearby areas soon after the custody escape was reported. Information was also passed to nearby stations..“Following information that Najmul reached Perumbavoor, a search was carried out and he was traced. A separate case for escaping from police custody is registered against him. He was later produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody,” sources said.