Escape During Medical Examination
A dismissed Punjab Police constable, Vikas Kumar of Ferozepur, escaped from police custody on Wednesday while being taken for a medical examination at the Civil Hospital in Ludhiana. The incident occurred when the accused was being escorted by police personnel for a routine check-up.
Vikas Kumar, along with his two associates Vipan of Kapurthala and Parvinder of Ferozepur, had been arrested earlier for illegal possession of a stolen SUV. During the arrest, police recovered a .32-bore revolver with six cartridges and a .32-bore pistol with six cartridges from their possession.
Background of the Case
The dismissed constable had been removed from service after a criminal case was registered against him. The three accused were arrested while travelling in an SUV belonging to a car rental company. According to police sources, the SUV was rented to the accused by Gurdev Singh for Rs 6,000 per day, but it was not returned as promised.
The accused had allegedly hatched a conspiracy to keep the vehicle. They replaced the original number plate with a fake one and removed GPS trackers fitted in the SUV. However, one GPS tracker remained active as the accused failed to notice it.
Tracking and Arrest
The rental company alerted the police after the SUV was not returned. The police tracked the SUV's movement using the active GPS tracker and intercepted the accused, leading to their arrest. The police have launched an investigation to determine the source of the illegal arms recovered from the accused.
SHO inspector Hamraj Singh confirmed that the accused had escaped from police custody and a case was being registered against him. The police are conducting a manhunt to recapture the fugitive.
Ongoing Investigation
The police are also probing the involvement of the accused in other criminal activities. The escape of the dismissed constable has raised questions about security protocols during custody transfers. Authorities are reviewing procedures to prevent such incidents in the future.
