A Nigerian drug convict, who jumped off the balcony of
a building in Indian, crashing through a roof as he tried to escape being
deported to Nigeria, has been re-arrested.
The suspect, John Okoro, 35, escaped last Monday while
in the custody of Anti-Narcotics agents in Azad Maidan, Indian.
Okoro was re-arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Cell
(ANC) of Mumbai police. Okoro was arrested from the Navi Mumbai area, from
where he was planning to flee to Mangalore by a private bus.
Police sources said Mr. Okoro, who resided in
Koparkhairane in Navi Mumbai, was arrested in 2014 in a drug case.
The court convicted him for a three-year jail term.
He was sent to Nashik central prison after conviction.
Mr. Okoro was released from jail on December 31 and
was to be deported to Nigeria. He was brought to the ANC’s Azad Maidan lock up
and kept on the first floor. He was due to be deported on the day he fled. An
alert was immediately issued for Okoro.
Okoro’s escape last Monday, left anti-narcotic
agents in Indian reeling in shock after he jumped off the balcony of his
detention room in order to avoid being deported to Nigeria.
Okoro was said to have taken the daring jump just
hours from being deported to Nigeria. He was being held at the Anti-Narcotics
Cell’s custody in Azad Maidan before his brazen escape. The escape occurred
about 2a.m. and left agents stunned.
According to the agents, Okoro said he needed to
answer the call of nature and was allowed to step out of the detention room,
which was on the first floor of a two-storey building.
He pretended
to be heading towards the direction of the toilet, but suddenly swerved and
dived off the balcony.
According to the Mumbai Mirror, he crashed through
the asbestos roof and fled on foot.
The constable, who was guarding him, frantic to
ensure Okoro doesn’t escape, jumped after him but was badly injured. The guard
is presently struggling to stay alive at the Nagpada Police Hospital.
The Mumbai Mirror states: “The Anti-Narcotics Cell’s
Azad Maidan office is barely 15 feet from the local police station. The office
shares a wall with the police’s station detection room. The Esplanade court is
in the same compound. An alert has been issued for Okoro, who was convicted for
trying to sell banned substances in 2014 and recently completed his jail term.”
The report added that after his prison sentence
ended, he was placed under the ANC’s custody on December 31 and he was due to
be deported on Monday afternoon.
A police officer said: “About 2a.m., Okoro told the constable on
guard that he wanted to visit the washroom. He was being taken there when he
jumped from the balcony. He landed on the asbestos roof, which immediately gave
away. He ran in the directions of Mahapalika Marg.”
After his escape, a manhunt was launched and the
Anti-Narcotics Cell asked informers to be on the lookout. Okoro was wearing a
blue shirt, blue jeans and slippers before his escape.
Fresh
charges, stemming from his daring escape were registered at the Azad Maidan
police again.
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