Asian Times reports that the 35-year-old Okoro who had been jailed for peddling drugs, broke out of his prison cell in the Azad Maidan area of the country a few hours from being deported.
It was gathered that Okoro had sought permission to step out of the detection room on the first floor of the agency’s office around 2 am on Monday, January 2, 2017, saying he wanted to use the toilet.
He then jumped from the balcony, crashed through the asbestos roof and fled on foot. The constable guarding him also leaped from the balcony in a desperate attempt to nab him but ended up injured while the convict made good his escape.
ADVERTISEMENT
Okoro who lived in Koparkhairane, Navi Mumbai, before he was jailed in 2014 following his conviction for trying to sell banned substances, was placed in the Anti-Narcotics Cell after his prison sentence ended on December 31, 2016, to await his deportation on Monday afternoon.
The Anti-Narcotic Department of the Indian police said in a statement:
“Around 2 am, 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.”
A senior police officer said a manhunt had been launched and the Anti-Narcotics Cell had asked informers to be on the lookout for Okoro who was wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans and slippers at the time of his escape.
