Athagarh: An accused man, who was picked up late yesterday night by a team of cops for his alleged involvement in an earlier incident of a bomb attack that took place on August 9, fled today from Athagarh police station in Cuttack district.

The fugitive man has been identified as Biranchi Mantri from the district.

According to a source, due to the dereliction of duty by a few policemen who were deployed to guard Biranchi, the accused managed to give a slip to the cops and flee from the spot.

Biranchi was brought to the police station for interrogation in connection with the hurling of bombs at Amrutamanohipatana village. Previously, he had absconded for the last month. Police were tipped off about his presence in the village.

Police have launched a manhunt to trace the runaway. However, his whereabouts have not been known yet, Athagarh SDPO expressed.