COVID-19 positive prisoner nabbed by police, escaped from Assam's Kokrajhar hospital

Kokrajhar: A rape-accused coronavirus positive prisoner, who had managed to escape from a hospital in Assam's Kokrajhar district, was arrested on Sunday from Lungshun area along the Indo-Bhutan border, police said.

The prisoner had escaped from Kokrajhar's RNB Civil Hospital on Tuesday night, Superintendent of Police Rakesh Roshan said.

Sukla Murmu, hailing from neighbouring Chirang district, was charged with rape and lodged in Kokrajhar Jail since May 5. He was admitted to hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 on July 25, the SP said.

Murmu had escaped from the hospital by breaking a window of the ward, he said.

The prisoner is being brought to Kokrajhar, where he will be tested again for COVID-19 before a decision is taken on where to lodge him.