Bhubaneswar/Cuttack: In a new twist to the continuing theories surrounding the dramatic escape of dreaded Odisha gangster Sheik Hyder, it is now claimed that a plan was hatched to free him from the clutches of police before the holy month of Ramzan.
According to police sources, Hyder’s escape from the SCB hospital in Cuttack was in furtherance of a well-planned criminal conspiracy hatched by the relatives of the gangster.
The conspiracy to help the dreaded gangster’s escape on April 10 was hatched by around 10 persons including Hyder’s two sons- Azharuddin and Chuni. However, Hyder has not escaped to any other country and is still in India, said top police sources.
Hyder reportedly escaped from the SCB hospital on a bike and later crossed the State borders in a car. One of his associates Yakub Marfat bought two Pulsar bikes as part of the plan to flee from the hospital. Late afternoon time was chosen to roll out the plan as police surveillance and checking are quite less during that time, sources added.
However, even four days after the dramatic escape of Hyder from a guarded chamber at the SCB hospital on April 10, police are yet to get any clue about the whereabouts of the gangster.
Questions are now being raised as to why the mobster was frequently escorted to Cuttack from Sambalpur and who had suggested his treatment at Cuttack SCB.
Besides, the local police being unaware of Hyder’s escape even three hours after the incident has been seen as a well-planned conspiracy to allow him enough time to slip past highway check gates before police issued emergency lookout orders.
Meanwhile, former DIG (Jail) Bamkinchandra Mohanty said that the Mangalabag Police should have been reported about Hyder’ss admission to the SCB hospital and they (Mangalabag Police authorities) would have arranged for their (constables guarding Hyder) stay in the city.
The Jail manual doesn’t allow police personnel guarding a mobster stay in hotels. It depends on the Superintendent of Police to decide about their stay, Mohanty said.
Former Police DG Bipin Bihari Mishra said that a conspiracy seems to have been hatched and involvement of police personnel cannot be ruled out in the incident.