Guwahati, Sept. 23: City police today released photographs and other details of two absconding accused in connection with the Assam Civil Service (ACS) officer Manikut Pathak murder case.

The police declared the accused duo - Bikram Subba, 25, and Purnima Gowala, 25 - absconders in this case.

"They are the prime accused in this case. We have been searching for them for since last year. Three persons, who were arrested so far in this case, have told us that Bikram and Purnima were frequent visitors to the victim's house," DCP (eastern range) Hemanta Das told The Telegraph today.

The three persons, who were already arrested in this case, are Pranjit Das, Utpal Boro and Jitu Mahanta. The police gave out two phone numebrs - 9435108516 and 9854033416 - for information.

Pathak's decomposed body was found at his Lakhimi Nagar residence on September 11 last year.

The police said Subba owned a computer repairing shop in Jotiya and used to stay with his family at Kahilipara hillside. "His family was questioned but they don't know his whereabouts," investigating officer S. Rahman, said.

Purnima, on the other hand, used to stay at a rented house in the same locality and worked at a beauty parlour there. "Purnima was a widow. She has a mother but did not keep in touch. Nobody could give us her permanent address," said Rahman.

Sources said Purnima was rumoured to be in a relationship with the victim. However, they had no evidence to prove it, added Rahman.

Though Purnima was arrested on September 27 last year for questioning, she escaped from the lock-up of the all-woman police station in Panbazar under mysterious circumstances.

Pathak, who used to live alone since he was estranged from his wife, was an ACS officer of the 1997 batch and posted as district gazetteer at the time of his death. His father, Ramesh Pathak, a retired professor of Assamese in Cotton College, was the first to discover his son's body.

The police are yet to ascertain the motive behind the murder.