As many as six police personnel were suspended on Sunday as they were prima facie found of negligence in duty leading to the escape of dreaded criminal Shajan alias Patu from the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack on Saturday.
According to sources, Bhubaneswar DCP Satybrata Bhoi suspended Khandagiri police station Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Gourahari Mallick, Havildar Ranjan Rout and four APR Constables, Suryakant Chhatoi, Ramesh Marndi, Biswajit Mohanty and Somanath Gamang.
The action was taken after a preliminary inquiry. On Saturday, Patu who had earlier escaped from police custody last year while undergoing treatment at the Capital Hospital here, managed to flee from police custody at the SCB Medical College Hospital while he was taken to the orthopaedic ward for a plaster of the injured ankle caused due to a police encounter.
Patu was admitted at the SCB after being injured in police firing during an encounter with police at Ghatikia under Khandagiri police station in Bhubaneswar last week.
While waiting for the doctor at the ward, Patu took permission from an APR personnel to roam nearby saying he was feeling nausea. Before the policemen on duty realised it, the criminal had managed to escape.