Four Bhagalpur cops held for helping gangster flee from hospital

BHAGALPUR: Bhagalpur police have suspected conspiracy angle in connection with the escape of convicted gangster Vikas Jha alias Kalia from the prisoners’ ward of Mayaganj hospital of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMCH) under Barari police station on Monday.
Suspecting involvement of jail staff and security personnel, Bhagalpur SSP Ashish Bharti has recommended action against one jail constable Ranjan Kumar Mandal, whose role in the incident is under police- scanner.He has also recommended probe into prolonged hospitalisation of Vikas.
“We have taken action against the district police personnel and home guards. A letter to the DM has been written to take action against Mandal. The incident, as it appears, is a result of large conspiracy,” the SSP said.
Earlier on Monday, the SSP suspended one ASI Mahesh Paswan, four district police constables – Laxman Kumar, Nagendra Kumar, Bhola Prasad and Sunil Kumar, besides four home guard jawans – Swamisaran Das, Siyaram Kunwar, Pramod Yadav and Dinanath Singh.
“Hawildar Mahesh Paswan, constable Ranjan Kumar Mandal, home guards Siyaram Kunwar and Dinanath Singh, whose role in Jha’s escape has been confirmed, have been forwarded to jail. We are conducting raids at the possible hideouts of Vikas,”the SSP said, adding that roles of doctors and jail employees are also under scanner.
The district police are also looking into the reports about whether the hospital administration had issued discharge slip of the gangster on August 17. JLNMCH superintendent Dr R C Mandal said the discharge slip was issued from the hospital on August 17. “As the prisoner was not taken to the prison by the jail administration even after issuing of discharge slip, he was kept at the prisoners’ ward as per legal provisions,” the superintendent said.
Vikas was a sharp shooter of dreaded gangsters Santosh Jha and Mukesh Pathak gang and is a resident of Purvi Tola under Bathnaha police station in Sitamarhi district. Involved in sensational murder of two engineers—Mukesh Kumar Singh and Brajesh Kumar Singh —committed on December 26 2015, Vikas was awarded life term and was languishing at Special Central Jail, Bhagalpur from September 6 last year.
The dreaded gangster was shifted to the prisoners’ ward at Mayaganj hospital of JLNMCH on August 8 this year after he feigned illness, which is now believed to be part of the conspiracy.
Police said Jha had sprinkled red chilli powder in the eyes of a home guard jawan, who was escorting him to the hospital loo in the early hours of Monday. Though the jawan, Swami Saran, managed to raise an alarm, Jha escaped on a motorbike with his associates who were waiting outside. However, police have managed to arrest his cousin Ayush Jha.