Gone, like in a movie!

Like a scene out of a watered-down version of the movie Shawshank Redemption, an accused of a murder case escaped from police custody at Purbodhola in Netrakona early yesterday.

The accused, Rubel Mia, who was arrested on Monday evening in connection with the murder of 25-year old Kakon Mian, was supposed to be presented at court yesterday morning.

However, around 4:30am, he asked the police personnel guarding him to allow him to go to the bathroom.

According to SM Mozammel, sub-inspector of the station, at the time Rubel was being guarded by four police officers: Mofazzol Hossain, Manik Mian, Masud Rana and Kamrul Islam.

After being escorted to the bathroom, when Rubel did not re-emerge after 20 minutes, the police officers knocked on the door.

Receiving no response, they went around to the back of the bathroom and saw that there was no one in there.

The almost two feet wide window of the bathroom had one railing bent and broken, allowing a large space for Rubel to climb out of.

Officer-in-charge of Purbadhola police station, Ovi Ranjon Deb, said the accused fled from their custody through a small hole in the window of toilet of the police station.

The rusted iron rod of the window and Rubel's thin and short stature allowed him to escape, Ranjon claimed.

When queried as to why the window of the station's bathroom was left in such bad condition, Ranjon said he had just joined three months earlier and did not know. “I had not noticed the state of the window,” he said.

The convict is yet to be found. In the meantime, no action was taken in this regard against those police personnel who have shown negligence.

Superintendent of Police of Netrakona, SM Ashraful Alam, said they are conducting drives to arrest the accused.

He said another case was filed against Rubel as he had fled from police custody.

“We will take action against the on duty police for their negligence in their duty after investigations,” he said.

Additional ASP of sadar circle, Sanowar Hossain, said he had visited the spot and formed a probe committee to find out how the escape took place.

According to police and local people, Rubel Mia was the accused of Md Kakon Mian murder case. Kakon, a resident of Purbodhola of Goalapara village and also a motor cycle driver, was killed on August 25.

In the guise of passengers, some miscreants snatched his motorcycle and stabbed him with sharp weapons at Chochaora area of Purbadhola-Dewtukon road at 1:30 am on August 25.

Kakon succumbed to his injury at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital the next day.

Police arrested Moinuddin, 22, on August 28 for his alleged involvement in the murder case while Rubel was arrested after Moinuddin's confessional statement.

Another separate murder case against Rubel was also filed in Durgapur police station.