J&K rape accused flees in VIP chopper

Parvez fled to Rajouri,where he mingled with the accident victims at the hospital.

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In a daring escape,a rape accused fled in a state helicopter often used for VIPs in Rajouri on Friday,even as a manhunt was on for him.

Mohammad Parvez,25,a labourer from Manjakote area,about 25 kms from Rajouri,was accused of raping a woman on March 8. The police registered a rape case on the victims complaint and launched a manhunt for Parvez.

The same afternoon,15 people were killed and over 20 injured when a bus fell into a gorge at Manoorgala in Kandi area,nearly 15 kms from Rajouri. The injured were taken to the Rajouri district hospital. Doctors referred 11 of the critically injured to Jammu,one of them was Parvez.

It appears that Parvez fled to Rajouri,where he mingled with the accident victims at the hospital. Feigning injuries,he got the doctors to refer him to Jammu. He also claimed the Rs 5,000 compensation which was being given by the district administration to the injured.

While nine of the injured were airlifted in an IAF chopper,Parvez and another patient were taken in a state government chopper used for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and other VIPs. But only 10 patients were admitted at the Jammu Government Medical College Hospital.

In fact,Parvezs escape only came to light when officials noticed a discrepancy in the number of injured who had been airlifted and the number undergoing treatment in Jammu.

But Parvez later made his way back to his village in Manjakote area,from where he was arrested on Monday.

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DIG,Rajouri-Poonch range,Danish Rana blamed the medical staff at the Rajouri district hospital. Though his condition did not appear to be critical,we thought he may have sustained some internal injuries as the doctors had referred him to Jammu, he said.

Apart from senior officials,two state ministers Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan and Shabir Ahmed Khan too were present in Rajouri when Parvez was airlifted. The Chief Minister has ordered a probe into the issue.