Two cops suspended after habitual offender’s escape

An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and a head constable at the Kumaraswamy Layout police station were suspended on Wednesday.

K Annamalai, DCP (South), suspended the two for negligence which led to the escape of a habitual offender, Psycho Raja alias Rajendra, from custody while he was being treated at the Victoria Hospital’s prison ward on Wednesday.

However, the accused was nabbed two hours after his escape.

The DCP said: “Rajendra was caught two hours after he escaped. Two policemen who were in charge have been suspended.”

Accused Rajendra, a resident of CK Palya, was involved in nine criminal cases, including three murders, in the city. On March 30, Rajendra, a drug addict, was shot at and arrested by the Kumaraswamy Layout police in connection with the murder of a security guard.

On March 23, security guard Lingappa was sitting outside an ATM along Uttarahalli Main Road when Rajendra was waiting for a customer to come and withdraw money. Rajendra decided to rob the security guard as no one turned up. When the guard refused to give Rs 150, he was brutally killed.

Police tracked down Rajendra, shot two rounds at his legs, shifting him to Victoria Hospital where he was recovering. On Wednesday, around 4:30 am, Rajendra managed to escape.

As he was wandering around KR Market, planning to visit his parents’ house in Uttarahalli as they had not come to visit him in jail, a police team spotted him and arrested him two hours later.

The DCP further said that a case has been registered at the VV Puram police station and they are trying to take permission from the court to chain Rajendra.