Kochi : Palarivattom police on Thursday intensified the search for a 31-year-old Bangladesh national who escaped from police custody at Palarivattom police station on Wednesday night. He and five other undocumented Bangladesh nationals were arrested by the police on Wednesday.
The accused, identified as Hadiullah Khan, 31, a native of Morrelganj in Bagerhat district of Bangladesh, escaped from police custody around 8.30pm. Hadiullah was in lawful custody at the station at 8.30pm on Wednesday when police were recording his fingerprints, according to the FIR in the escape case. He was the sixth accused in the case registered under sections 21 and 23(a) of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. A police party were on patrol around 3.30am on Wednesday when they received credible confidential information that several Bangladeshi nationals were staying illegally on Savitha Road in the Vennala area, according to the police. The police team reached the location and conducted a verification at the building around 3.40am. The occupants were identified as Ibrahim Howlader, 39; Sakeer Khan, 50; Arif Howlader, 29; Unus Khan, 41; Joshana Begum, 30; and Hadiullah Khan.
All six were from Morrelganj in Bagerhat district of Bangladesh, said the police. Police said the six had entered India illegally and were staying in the rented building without passports, visas or other supporting documents. He allegedly entered the bathroom in a room on the first floor of the station and escaped by jumping through a window. Joshana Begum and Unus Khan were also allegedly staying there with their children, aged nine and two-and-a-half years. The six adults were informed about the alleged offence and arrested at the spot. Mobile phones found in their possession were seized and taken into custody after being recorded in the seizure mahazar. The accused were subsequently taken to the Palarivattom police station. Hadiullah Khan managed to escape when the police were busy processing the arrested persons