CUTTACK: After four-and-half months of the Cuttack Circle Jail, Choudwar, jailbreak, police have succeeded in arresting one of the two under-trial prisoners who had escaped by climbing the walls on the night of October 2 last year.
The fugitive Madhukant Rana alias Singh (24) of Rampur village under Goura police station in Bihar was apprehended from an Ashram in Vrindavan, Uttar Pardesh.
Briefing mediapersons on Saturday, police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh said after the jailbreak, six special police teams were formed, involving 26 police personnel, which had launched a search across several states including Bihar, Nagaland, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, etc., to apprehend the duo. Both are hardcore criminals and involved in inter-state dacoities and robberies, he said.
The two fugitive criminals’ backgrounds collected from different state police were studied, their family members were questioned and information collected. After reliable intelligence indicated the possible presence of the accused in Uttar Pradesh, a team proceeded to Vrindavan, Mathura and, in coordination with Kotwali police station conducted discreet inquiries at multiple locations, Singh said.
“Madhukant had remained in disguise under pseudo name Basu Pandeya and was working as an employee of the guest house of the Ashram. An undercover special squad member was deployed to stay in the guest house for surveillance while other personnel, also in civilian disguise, maintained observation of the premises. During the process, the absconding accused himself escorted the decoy to the allotted room, strengthening suspicion regarding his identity. He was apprehended on February 13 from the guest house,” said Singh.
The accused was produced before a court at Mathura and brought to Cuttack on transit remand. He has been forwarded to the court here, he informed.
After escaping from Choudwar jail, the duo had immediately gone to Puri by train where they stayed near a public toilet. The next day, they took a train to Bihar. The investigating police teams faced considerable challenge as being dreaded criminals, the accused frequently changed locations, identities and occupation, avoiding electronic traceability and remaining away from the main anticipated areas, Singh informed.
“Further investigation is underway to ascertain the role of the persons who may have provided shelter or assistance to the accused during the period of abscondence and apprehend the other fugitive Raja Sahani,” he added.
The two UTPs were arrested on January 4, 2025, for allegedly committing robbery at a jewellery shop in Panikoili of Jajpur district and killing two people during the heist. After six months, they were shifted from the Ragadi sub-jail to Choudwar Circle Jail from security point of view.
Both had taken advantage of the Dussehra celebrations in the jail and had fled on October 2 night by cutting the iron rods of their cells and then climbing two walls with the help of makeshift rope prepared by using blankets, towels, shirts and even their trousers.