Guwahati, December 22
Drug lord and one of the most wanted criminals in the north-east, Pakhi Mian, alias Samsul Haque Talukdar, escaped from judicial custody in the wee hours today after drugging two policemen guarding over him in a hospital cabin here.
The drug lord was admitted to Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) on December 19 as per advice of the doctor of Guwahati jail. Mian, who was facing three murder charges and an accused in 21 other cases relating to smuggling of drugs, fled from the hospital cabin much to the embarrassment of the city police.
The drug lord was a prime accused in the murder of Revenue Intelligence official Tarun Kumar Dutta and local journalist Mohammad Muslimuddin.
"There were two policemen posted with Mian and preliminary investigations suggest the duo were drugged before Mian made good his escape. We have mounted vigil on all the exit routes from the city, including the railway station and the airport to nab him," Senior Superintendent of Police Padip Chandra Saloi said.
The senior police official said it was a case of negligence of duty by the policemen and an inquiry had been ordered. The two policemen have been put under confinement at the GMCH outpost.
Mian was arrested by the West Bengal police in April near Kolkata airport and was later handed over to the Assam police.
According to an eyewitness who was attending to another patient in the same ward of the hospital, the two policemen were playing cards with Mian till late in the night and had taken coffee and other things offered by the drug lord.
"Suddenly, the two guards started vomiting and Mian asked them to sleep on the floor. After some time, Mian said he wanted to go to the toilet and after that he never returned," the eyewitness told the journalists visiting the hospital ward today. The drug lord was not handcuffed.
