Kolkata, 17 October (H.S.). Panic gripped Salt Lake on Thursday night when one of four dreaded criminals from Gujarat attempted a dramatic escape by sliding down a building pipe, even as Kolkata Police closed in on them. Three of the accused have been arrested, while one remains absconding.

According to police sources, the four criminals are wanted in connection with the murder of a businessman from Kuchaman in Rajasthan. Acting on a tip-off, Kolkata Police conducted a late-night raid at the Purachal Housing Complex in Salt Lake. Two of the accused were arrested immediately, but the other two managed to flee.

One of the fleeing criminals climbed onto the terrace of Cluster Four building and hid there before attempting to escape. Reportedly, he first posed as a police officer to gain entry into a flat, then slipped out onto the cornice of the roof. He jumped from one building to another and slid down a pipe in an attempt to flee. Security guards and police chased him down, finally catching him near Bengal Academy in the Phoolbagan police area.

The fourth accused, identified as Mahesh Gurjar, is still on the run. The arrested men have been identified as Ganpat Gurjar, Dharmendra Gurjar, and Zuber Ahmed.

The incident created widespread panic among residents of the Salt Lake housing complex. One resident said, “A man entered our building claiming to be a police officer. Later, we saw him sliding down a pipe while plainclothes policemen chased him. It was terrifying.”

Kolkata Police have assured that the absconding accused will be arrested soon and that the probe into the Rajasthan murder case has been intensified.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh