Amulya Sardar (right) and wife Kadmi Sardar after he was released from the Sakchi jail. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, Feb. 28: A few anxious hours later, JMM legislator from Potka Amulya Sardar was released from the Sakchi sub-divisional jail this evening.

The JMM leader?s release was delayed as the release order took about an hour to reach the jail authorities. A concerned Amulya asked supporters to speed up matters as the deadline for the release of undertrials ? 6pm? neared.

Amulya, who defeated BJP?s Menka Sardar yesterday, was released at 5.30 pm. The JMM leader, who is an ojha (traditional healer), had been lodged in the jail since January 23 on two criminal charges.

Asked about his programme for the day, Amulya said he would head for his village Kundrukocha to thank the voters. ?Guruji has asked me to reach Ranchi by this evening. I am very anxious to get to the capital. You can understand what the political scenario is now,? said a pensive Amulya.

The run-up to his release was a frenzied one. A swarm of JMM supporters thronged the jail premises. Most of them converged at the jail campus while others whiled their time at the nearby Jail Chowk. The sound of nagaras and mandars made the ambience outside livelier.

Amulya kept up a conversation with his supporters and even distributed sweets to some of his prison mates. The surge towards the main gate of the prison increased manifold around 3 pm when rumours did the rounds that the Amulya?s release order had arrived.

That proved to be a false alarm and the JMM leader was back to worrying. ?Why the delay? Do something quickly. I want to get out as soon as possible,? he muttered. He could be seen pacing up the visitors? room as supporters grew restive outside. It was only around 5.30 pm that the order arrived and Amulya walked to freedom.