Key accused in Madan Tamang murder case escapes from custody

Nickol Tamang, a Gorkha Janamukti Morcha leader and the prime accused in the murder case of Madan Tamang, president of All India Gorkha League, escaped from CID custody in Pintail Village, near Siliguri. Amitava Banerjee reports.

Nickol Tamang, a Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) leader and the prime accused in the murder case of Madan Tamang, president of All India Gorkha League (AIGL) escaped from CID custody in Pintail Village, near Siliguri in the Darjeeling District of West Bengal on Sunday morning.

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Confirming the incident to HT, Neeraj Nayan Pandey, IG (CID) said, "Nickol Tamang escaped this morning but the detail of his escape is still awaited. We have sent officers to investigate the matter".

Tamang was lodged at a CID camp near Siliguri in the plains, around 73 km from Darjeeling town. This morning the police found Nickol Tamang to be missing from the toilet.

Tamang was arrested on August 16 from his ancestral house in Kainjaley, 47 km from Darjeeling and sent to Judicial custody. CID subsequently obtained his remand for interrogation.

Nickol Tamang has been booked in three cases, the prime being the Madan Tamang murder case with non-bailable sections including 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy.)

The other two other cases include one of vandalizing and destruction of property (bailable sections) under the Darjeeling police station and the other of theft (bailable section) under the Jorebungalow Police Station.

The bail plea by his defence on health grounds (chronic diabetic) had been rejected by the CJM.

AIGL leader Madan Tamang was hacked to death on May 21 by an armed mob at around 9:20am at the Upper Clubside Stand in Darjeeling town while overseeing preparations for a public meeting to begin at 10:00 am on that day.

A cell phone had been recovered from the spot belonging to Nickol Tamang, who is also a GJM Central Committee leader.

Nickol is believed to a close confidante of Bimal Gurung, the GJM president.

As a GJM Central Committee member Tamang was part of the four member GJM delegation led by Bimal Gurung that had met P Chidambaram, Union Home Minister on April 9, 2010.