Berhampur: Manoj Nahak, 23, a murder accused, escaped from police custody while he was being taken to Bhanjanagar court from Buguda police station.

"Manoj has been missing since Friday afternoon," said Bhanjanagar sub-divisional police officer Utkal Keshari Das.

Two constables of Buguda police station - Maheswar Sethi and Tukuna Pradhan - brought Manoj and another accused, Kanhu Charan Swain, in an auto-rickshaw to produce them in Bhanjanagar court on Friday. Though Manoj was hand-cuffed, he managed to open the lock and gave a slip to the police. "When the auto-rickshaw reached the Bhanjanagar court premises, and they alighted from the three-wheeler, Manoj started running away amid heavy rain. He entered the residential quarters of the divisional forest officer (south Ghumsar) and scaled the wall despite all our efforts to follow and nab him," a constable, who was accompanying the accused, said.

Manoj Nahak and Kanhu Charan Swain allegedly killed Sudarshan Swain, 55, on Wednesday and were arrested the next day from Jagannathprasad. Kanhu is the cousin of deceased Sudarshan.

Replying to why they were brought in an auto instead of police vehicle, Das said the departmental vehicle had been engaged in other works.