After 12 days of chase, life convict escapee in cop net again

Amitava Banerjee, MP , 13 August 2020, Darjeeling: The wild goose chase came to an end with a search operation that lasted nearly 9 hours in the dense jungles of Rungdung with the Covid positive life term escapee convict finally being caught. 

The 54-year-old had been sentenced for life for murdering his wife in 2011. He had been released on parole for a month from the Jalpaiguri Central Jail on July 24 and was in home quarantine at his residence at Chotta Hatta village, Lhodama, Darjeeling. 

On July 31 he tested Covid-19 positive. While being taken to the Triveni Covid Hospital from Lhodhama on August 2, when the ambulance reached a forested area in between Jorebungalow and 3rd Mile, the convict asked the ambulance driver to stop as he wanted to defecate. He had then given the ambulance driver a slip and disappeared into the dense forests. A man hunt had been on since then. Drones and sniffer dogs had been pressed into service but had failed to locate him. 

He was spotted on Thursday morning in the 3rd Mile area near Jorebungalow. The local drivers had spotted him and had called t to him. The police were informed and a chase ensued. A team comprising of police, civic voluounteers, forest department personnel and local residents kept up the chase. 

Finally they spotted him above the Saraswati Khola (spring) in the dense jungle. They kept on coaxing him to surrender as he needed treatment. The convict, who earned himself the name of Rambo kept on pelting stones at the searchers from a vantage location. 

"Another team was sent in from another direction and finally managed to cordon him at around 5:30pm. He had lost all his energy from the running around in the thick forest and steep terrain. He was fed bananas, biscuit and doughnuts and finally escorted up to the Jorebungalow police station via Rangeroong" stated Mingma Lepcha, Officer in Charge, Jorebungalow police station. 

He was then taken to the Sadar Hospital in Darjeeling, where he has been kept in a cabin. His Rapid Antigen Test will be conducted on Friday morning. 

"The future course of action will depend on his tests results. If he tests Covid positive action will be taken as per the directives of the Health Department. If he tests negative, we will apply for cancellation of parole and he will be sent back to jail" stated Amarnath K, Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling. 

16 persons include police, civic volunteers, forest personnel and local residents who were involved in the chase have been lodged at the Darjeeling Youth Hostel. They too will undergo Rapid Antigen Tests. 

He managed to survive 12 days in the dense jungles that is a home to wildlife including leopards. Earlier his neighbours had claimed that he used to spend weeks in the Singhalila jungles hunting. 

(Courtesy & source- Millenium Post-http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/after-12-days-of-chase-life-convict-escapee-in-cop-net-again-415473)