JAIPUR: An alleged drugs smuggler tricked cops taking him to a police station in Bikaner soon after his arrest into leaving their govt vehicle, stole it and drove away before being recaptured in a seven-hour search with the help of nearly 200 villagers.
The drama around Gurjant Singh, a resident of Punjab's Moga district in his early thirties, started late Tuesday and culminated early Thursday, keeping the cops on pins and needles and prompting a probe for alleged lapses.
Gurjant and an accomplice were transporting nearly 1,500kg of poppy husk when they encountered a check-post in Lunkaransar area late Tuesday. Instead of stopping, they made a sudden U-turn, prompting the cops to chase them. The duo eventually abandoned the vehicle and fled. Police caught Gurjant with the help of villagers, while his partner escaped.
On Wednesday evening, SHO Kashyap Singh and two constables were assigned to ferry Gurjant to the local Mahajan police station. During the journey, Gurjant told the policemen that his accomplice was hiding in the fields. He also claimed that his mobile phone, which could serve as crucial evidence, was lying on the roadside.
"The phone could have been an important piece of evidence against Gurjant, so we stopped the vehicle. The two constables got out to search for the accomplice and the phone while I stayed inside with the suspect," SHO Kashyap said.
After waiting for a while, when the constables didn't return, the SHO grew concerned. He stepped out to call them but struggled with weak mobile phone signals. "As soon as I got out, he (Gurjant) locked me out and drove away," the SHO said.
The suspect had handcuffs only on one hand when he sped away. The police vehicle was found around 5km away. "He was driving at such high speed that the tyres burst, so he abandoned the vehicle and tried to flee on foot," SHO Kashyap said.
Police alerted local villagers and nearly 200 of them joined the search that ended early Thursday. "About seven hours after his escape, we managed to nab him," said the officer.Bikaner SP Kavendra Sagar said an inquiry was on and vowed action if negligence was proved on the part of the cops.
Gurjant, who works as a loan recovery agent, has claimed during preliminary questioning that he "only smuggled narcotics a couple of times".
Stay updated with breaking
news,
bank holidays and upcoming
public holidays in march.
Start a Conversation
Post comment