In a major disappointment for the State Police, notorious gangster Sheikh Hyder serving life imprisonment in connection with murder and other offences, escaped from SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack on Saturday. The gangster was undergoing treatment at the hospital where he managed to give the cops the slip. Hyder escaped from ward No 5 of the surgery ward of SCB after reportedly overpowering an Armed Police Reserve Guard who was on his security duty. The gangster was lodged in Sambalpur circle jail and was shifted to SCB hospital a couple of days back after undergoing preliminary treatment for some illness at VIMSAR in Burla.
Twin City Police Commissioner Saumendra Priyadarshi, held a closed-door meeting last night with senior officials and said that a core team has been constituted to nab the gangster. Odisha DGP Abhay also held a high-level meeting in Bhubaneswar where Police Commissioner, Central Range DIG, Crime Branch ADG and other senior officials were present. As per reports, Cuttack DCP, Kendrapara SP and Jajpur SP are supervising the search operation to recapture Hyder.
Meanwhile, Sambalpur SP B Gangadhar has suspended 6 police personnel including a Havildar and 5 Constables, who were on security duty.
Targeting the ruling-government and the administration over the incident, BJP state general secretary Lekhashree Samantasinghar alleged that escaping of gangster Haider from SCB is an indication of the deep rooted compromise of Odisha police with the political bosses.
In 2011, Hyder and seven others were sentenced to life for killing Sheikh Chuna alias Malik Hanan, the brother of gangster Sheikh Suleiman. Later in 2015, the Court of Additional District Judge-2 in Bhubaneswar had handed life imprisonment to Hyder and two others in connection with the kidnap and murder of mine owner Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra. On 2nd May 2017, Hyder was transferred to Sambalpur jail from Jharpada jail in Bhubaneswar due to security reasons following reports of gang war with Dhalasamanta brothers.