Siddharth Nuckchadee, a 24-year-old inmate admitted to the Dr Bruno Cheong Hospital in Flacq, deceived a policeman in the toilet and escaped through a fanlight. He told the policeman that the handcuffs on his feet were causing him pain and inconvenience. After his handcuffs were removed, he entered the toilet and locked the door for his privacy. After five minutes, when he didn’t respond, the policeman forced open the door, but he was no longer there. Constable Maheshwar Pemsing, 42, who was arrested, was subsequently admitted to Flacq hospital.
Siddharth Nuckchadee of Brisée Verdière was arrested by Flacq’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) on Friday July 7. This followed a theft complaint reported to the Brisée Verdière police station on Monday July 3. He is registered at this police station for theft offences. On Saturday July 8, he was brought before the Bail and Remand Court in Port-Louis and was returned to his cell at the Moka detention center. On Monday July 10, he was brought before the Flacq court on a provisional charge of theft.
Complaining of poor health, he was taken to Flacq hospital for treatment on Saturday July 15. He was subsequently admitted to ward 7. At around 2.10pm on Sunday July 16, he asked police officer Maheshwar Pemsing for permission to go to the bathroom. It was at this precise moment that he deceived the vigilance of this policeman, who removed the handcuffs from his feet and authorized him to close the door of this toilet for his privacy and took advantage of this to escape through an impost.
After a long silence, police officer Pemsing knocked on the door. When there was no response, he forced the door open. Siddharth Nuckchadee had disappeared. He immediately alerted the hospital’s Police Post, who in turn informed the Eastern Division’s Operations Room.
Several police units from this division, including the CID, Field Intelligence Office, Divisional Supporting Unit, Emergency Response Service and Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit were mobilized for the search. The detainee remains unaccounted for.
Police officer Pemsing, who has been assigned to the Brisée Verdière police station since January 6, 2023, was arrested for negligence in the escape of this detainee after investigation. He was subsequently placed in a cell at the Belle Mare detention center on the orders of Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajcoomar Seebah, the divisional commander. Feeling unwell, he was taken to Flacq hospital for treatment. He was subsequently admitted to the ward and placed under police surveillance.
