Speculation rife that Tamang murder accused Nicole will surrender

SNS, Kurseong, 24 December 2013: Darjeeling is now abuzz with speculation that Nicole Tamang, the prime accused in the 2010 May Madan Tamang murder case, might surrender before police or the court, soon. 

He escaped from the makeshift CID custody at Pintail village near Siliguri in August 2010 a few days after he had been picked up, giving the sleuths a slip. 

He has remained elusive since then, though the CBI that took up the probe from the CID later in 2010 said in one of its submissions that he was spotted somewhere in Nepal. 

The AIGL leaders, including the party’s president, Bharati Tamang, the slain AIGL leader’s widow, alleged several times that he was being hidden by the GJMM somewhere near the party’s headquarters in Darjeeling. 

Sources said that he has grown tired playing hide and seek for such a long time. 

Sources further said that keeping in mind the bails granted to the other accused of the assassination case, he might take the risk of surrendering. 

Notably, a total of 18 accused are in jails, of whom 13 had surrendered in June and the other five who had earlier been released on bails re-surrendered recently before the court following the High Court order. That those, now released on bails, are leading normal lives along with their families now might inspire Nicole to surrender. 

Thirty one persons, including Nicole, were listed in the charge sheet regarding the case. Nicole has a family that includes his mother. 

The recent bail granted to the senior GJMM and the GTA member, Binay Tamang as regards the Tamang murder case might prod Nicole to come overboard, sources said.