A 24-year-old notorious criminal gave the police the slip in perfect filmy style when he was being taken back to the prison from the Ranipet Sub-Court on Monday.
Police said Manivasagam, a resident of Perumapet in Tirupattur, hoodwinked the police constables right outside the court campus at 5.30 pm and made good his escape. Just as Manivasgam was brought out of the court, a motorcyclist wearing a helmet screeched to a halt close to the accused. Manivasagam pushed the woman constable escorting him and hopped onto the motorcycle and sped away.
It all happened with such precision that even before the policemen could react, the accused and his accomplice were out of eyeshot.
The under-trial prisoner of the Vellore Central Prison for Men was taken to Walajapet Court in group escort along with other remand prisoners to the courts in Sholinghur, Arakkonam and Walajapet on Monday for hearing.
Three police personnel - Head Constable Pannerselvam, Constable Manikandan of Vellore South Police Station and woman constable Devi Priscilla of Ambur Town station, who was holding a rifle - escorted Manivasagam to the court. They took him to Ranipet Sub-Court as the magistrate of Walajapet Court was on leave.
After the hearing, the three police personnel telephoned the Armed Reserve police pick-up vehicle to take Manivasagam back to the prison. He gave them the slip when the police personnel were having tea at a shop opposite to the court.
“After the motorist stopped his bike close to the teashop, Manivasagam pushed the woman constable (Priscilla), who was holding the other end of his handcuff, and jumped onto the bike. The motorist sped away in the bike and disappeared. It all happened within a fraction of a second before the police personnel could react,” said a senior police official.The district police has constituted three special teams to nab Manivasagam.
Vellore Superintendent of Police I Eswaran told Express that the three police personnel have been placed under suspension for being lethargic while on duty.
The department would take severe action against them under Rule 3 (b) of Tamil Nadu Police Subordinate Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, he added.
Sources in the department said that it has been decided not to deploy women police on escort duty for male remanded prisoners. “IGP of North Zone P Kannappan directed the SP to handle the case and take measures to arrest the escaped criminal at the earliest,” said a police officer.
Sources in the prison and police department said that the way the under-trial escaped from the escort police clearly indicated that “it was a pre-planned escape and not a spontaneous one”. The incident has also exposed the loopholes in security.
Comments
0 comment