A hardcore Maoist managed to escape from police custody while he was being produced in the SDJM Court here on Monday. The fugitive was identified as Manoj Madkami of Chhattisgarh.
Sources said Manoj shoved the cops escorting him to the court and scaled the boundary wall of the SDJM Court to flee from the spot.
Manoj has more than 12 cases pending against him in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. He is involved in cases of murder, torching of contractors camp and attack on security forces. He carries a bounty of Rs 4 lakh on his head.
Earlier, the Balangir police and the Special Operation Group (SOG) personnel had arrested Manoj from a forest on the Nuapada-Balangir border during a combing operation on May 30, 2018.
Police have launched a massive manhunt in the Nuapada town and surrounding areas to trace the fugitive ultra.
Meanwhile, the authorities suspended as many as seven policemen on the ground of neglect of duty, for which the Maoist fled.