Hyder's Associate Yakub Arrested By Police

Cuttack: Police on Tuesday arrested Yakub, one of the associates of notorious gangster Hyder who is still on the run from the clutches of cops after escaping the custody during treatment at Cuttack SCB a few days ago.

Sallu alias Yakub Khan had surrendered before the Chauliaganj police yesterday and was arrested after interrogation today.

Sources said, Yakub had visited Hyder several times during his stay at the hospital and it is believed that he might have a big role in staging the gangster’s dramatic escape from SCB Hospital right under the nose of security personnel.

Meanwhile, 4 days on, police have failed to make any noticeable headway into the arrest of the dreaded criminal. The State police have constituted a special team to trace the criminal. A special team has been formed comprising SPs of Kendrapara, Jajpur, Cuttack DCP and other senior officials to nab the dreaded criminal.

Yesterday, as many as six policemen including a havildar and five constables deployed on security of the gangster at SCB were suspended.

The constable deployed to guard gangster Sheikh Hyder on Monday claimed that some relatives of the dreaded criminal facilitated his escape from the hospital.

In 2015, the Court of Additional District Judge-2 in Bhubaneswar pronounced life imprisonment to Hyder and two others in connection with the kidnap and murder of mine owner Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra. Four years before that, Hyder and seven others were sentenced to life for killing Sheikh Chuna alias Malik Hanan, brother of gangster Sheikh Suleiman.