Bangla prisoner flees

Islampur, Dec. 21: A Bangladeshi undertrial prisoner escaped from Islampur Subdivisional Hospital today.

Md Idris, a resident of Baliadangi in Thakurgaon district of Bangladesh, fled while pretending that he was going to the toilet. He had been arrested by the BSF along the Sonamoti border on December 16 while trying to infiltrate into India. He was sent to the hospital for treatment following a court order.

David Lepcha, the subdivisional police officer of Islampur, said the hospital had been repeatedly told to lodge Idris at a separate cell. But nothing had been done. Hospital superintendent Benoy Sen said he had no idea how Idris, who was admitted with stomach pain, managed to escape when police were on guard. An investigation has been started.

Tribal package

Siliguri: State public works minister Kshiti Goswami on Sunday asked the government to introduce special packages for the development of tribals in Bengal. The RSP leader said the government has failed to fulfil the aspirations of the tribal people during its 32-year-long rule. The minister was addressing the 38th state conference of State Diploma Engineers’ Association here.

Youth fest

Siliguri: The two-day Chhatra-Yuva Utsav, organised by the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and the state sports and youth affairs department, ended at the Rabindra Mancha here on Sunday.

Fake ration

Gangtok: Three persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in a fake ration card racket here. Sanjay Prasad, who runs a garments shop at Kanchenjunga Shopping Complex, and two of his accomplices were picked up by a team of officials from the Sadar police station on Friday. A plainclothes man had laid the bait for the gang. The accused had allegedly supplied 15 fake ration cards charging Rs 6,000 for each. A number of forged ration cards, a computer and other stationery were recovered from them.