OUR CORRESPONDENT

Gangtok, Jan. 27: An undertrial who managed to give police the slip while being produced in a court here on Monday was caught from a hideout in Siliguri yesterday and brought back here this morning.

Purna Bahadur Tamang, the undertrial, however, was not alone in his adventure. Rakesh Rai, known in police circles as the Spiderman for his ability to scale steep walls, had also made an attempt to flee with Tamang. But Rakesh was caught on the district sessions court premises itself, police here said.

Twenty-eight-year-old Rakesh, facing multiple charges in a case of double murder and robberies, had made a sensational escape from police custody on October 10, 2007, from the premises of the Namchi district court. He was, however, caught from the Bengal-Sikkim border three days later. Once he managed to scale the walls of the jail at Rongyek, but was caught.

Tamang, 27, is a resident of Samalbong in Kalimpong subdivision and is facing trial for possession of fake Indian currency in Singtam, Sikkim, in 2007, the police said.

Following his escape, the Sikkim police had issued a high alert to all police stations in the state. His photograph, along with a description, had also been dispatched to the police in adjoining Bengal. Acting on a tip-off, the Sikkim police managed to locate Tamang in a house near a cinema hall on Sevoke Road yesterday.