Dhenkanal: Cops at Dhenkanal town police station had a shocking experience of lifetime Wednesday after a man, who was found loitering on road and brought to police station suspecting to be mentally ill, drove away with the police Bolero van.
However, an hour later, he was nabbed from Khuntuni in Cuttack district and the police van was also seized. The incident of a man driving away with the police van, that too from the police station, has since been a matter gossip here.
According to police, the cops found a man moving along the road suspiciously Tuesday night during patrolling. They took the man to the town police station where he was identified as Dharmendra Swain (30), a resident of Hatabaisinga village under Joranda police limits in Gondia block. The cops perceived him to be a mentally unstable person from his way of talking and behaviour.
Wednesday, Dharmendra asked the police station driver Shibu Prasad Barik to drop him at his house. The policemen made him sit in the van and left. Meanwhile, the driver went to the police station to fetch water bottles.
Taking advantage of being unguarded, Dharmendra drove away with the police van with the red beacon light atop.
After getting information that he was moving towards Khuntuni, PCR vans from town and sadar police stations followed him. Meanwhile, cops at town police station passed the information to their counterparts in Khuntuni police station. Putting of blockades at strategic locations, Khuntuni police nabbed him at a place near Champeswar.
The town police admitted him at Dhenkanal district headquarters hospital for his medical test.
In this regard, Sadar sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Bikash Ranjan Beura said, “An investigation is underway to find out whether he is mentally unstable or not. The next course of action depends on the findings of the investigation.”
PNN