Nuapada: Police are on the hunt for a most-wanted Maoist after he managed to escape from custody while being taken to a court here in this district Monday afternoon. He has been identified as Manoj Madkami, an area committee member of Bargarh-Balangir-Mahasamund (BBM) Division of Maoist (CPI) organisation.
According to reports, police had arrested Madkami May 30 this year from Patapani forest in Nuapada district following a tip-off. Since he was involved in a series of violence, the state police had announced a cash reward of Rs 4 lakh on his head.
Police had brought Madkami to be produced in the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate court. While being taken to the court, he suddenly kicked the two cops surrounding him and ran away after scaling the boundary wall of the SDJM court.
Following information, the Nuapada police rushed to the spot and launched a manhunt to nab the Maoist. Till reports last came in, there is no trace of the Left-wing ultra.
Police said Manoj has several criminal cases pending against him including murder, extortion, torching of vehicles and exchange of fire in several police stations of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.