Falakata NDPS case accused escapes from police station, recaptured within hours

Alipurduar: In a dramatic turn of events, a female accused in an NDPS case, Momtaz Sultana, escaped from Falakata Police Station early Wednesday morning, only to be recaptured later the same day from Birpara Tea Estate.

The incident occurred around 7:50 a.m. at the Falakata Police Station in Alipurduar. Sultana, arrested last Monday in Jateshwar for possession of prohibited narcotic substances, had been produced before the Alipurduar District Court and sent on a three-day police remand along with her husband, Maminul Islam. Authorities had seized 33,600 Pevon Spas Plus capsules from the couple under the NDPS Act.

According to police sources, Sultana claimed to feel unwell on Wednesday morning and was allowed to sit in the child corner of the station under the supervision of a female civic volunteer and the on-duty sentry. Seizing a brief lapse in attention, she fled the station and vanished. The escape triggered immediate chaos, prompting a combing operation through the narrow lanes of Falakata. By 9 p.m., police successfully apprehended Sultana from Birpara Tea Estate.

An investigation has been assigned to Jaigaon SDPO Prashant Debnath. District Superintendent of Police Y. Raghuvamshi said: “The accused escaped while the sentry was changing duty.

She was later arrested, and SDPO Jaigaon is probing potential negligence by the duty officer, sentry constable, and other personnel present.”