Jalpaiguri, Sept. 27 -- A Forest Department sniffer dog helped police track down a Rohingya youth who allegedly escaped from a temporary holding centre in Rajganj, following the scent of his shirt to a tea garden nearly a kilometre away.
The 26-year-old, identified as Mohammad Salam, a Myanmar national, was arrested near Panikouri More around 11am on Sunday after several hours of searching. Police said Salam came out of the centre early on Sunday on the pretext of answering nature's call. He allegedly evaded security personnel and escaped by scaling the boundary wall.
A search operation was launched by Rajganj police, administration officials and Forest Department personnel across Fatapukur, Panikouri More, Balaigachh and adjoining areas.
Forest Department trainer Prasenjit Mondal reportedly made the trained sniffer dog smell a shirt allegedly left behind by Salam. The dog then followed the scent towards a tea garden, said Rajib Dey, ADFO of the Gorumara Wildlife Division.
Salam was eventually found hiding among bushes near Panikouri More.
Jalpaiguri Additional Superintendent of Police Shrinivas M.P. said: "With the assistance of the Forest Department, the escaped youth has been apprehended again. He has subsequently been placed back in the holding centre."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.