An under-trial prisoner escaped today from police custody while being shifted to hospital, following which the five policemen on duty were suspended.
The kidnap accused, Saddam Hussain (22), escaped from the custody when policemen were shifting him from Raigarh district hospital to Bilaspur for further treatment, Raigarh Additional Superintendent of Police Praphulla Thakur said.
A native of Ambikapur, Hussain was lodged in Raigarh jail along with five other accused in connection with a kidnapping case.
Two days back, he complained of vomiting blood and he was admitted in Raigarh district hospital, where doctors referred him to Bilaspur today.
Hussain managed to flee while the policemen were making arrangements to shift him to Bilaspur, he said.
Head constable Sagar Sidar and constables - Janakram Chuahan, Mahendra Karsh, Yogendra Pratap and Banarasi Lal, who were escorting him, were immediately suspended for dereliction of duty, he said.
A case has been registered in this connection, Thakur said, adding, a manhunt has been launched to nab the accused.
