An undertrial prisoner escaped from police custody on Tuesday night while receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, an official said on Wednesday.
The accused, Tekchand Behera, who was arrested in connection with a murder case filed at the Sundargarh Sadar police station in April 2025, had been admitted to the Sundargarh District Headquarters Hospital for treatment.
Police stated that Behera asked to use the toilet to attend to nature’s call during the night and used the opportunity to slip away from the hospital.
Despite security personnel being actively deployed to guard him, the prisoner successfully managed to breach security and flee, they said.
Following the incident, prison authorities alerted the Sundargarh Town Police Station regarding the prisoner’s escape.
Law enforcement deployed a tracking dog squad and multiple police units to launch a search operation in the area. However, Behera remained at large as of Wednesday evening, a police officer stated.
