Panaji, Dec 30 (IANS): An undertrial accused of robbery and lodged in the Colvale central jail in North Goa, escaped from police custody on Wednesday while returning from a medical check-up at a nearby government hospital. Two accomplices sprayed pepper and fired warning shots to stop the police escort from foiling their attempt to flee.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Gajanan Prabhudessai said the attempt was pre-planned and that the police were now on the lookout for the accused Vivek Kumar Gautam, who originally hails from Uttarakhand.

According to the police official, the incident occurred on Wednesday morning after Gautam complained that he was suffering from a painful stomach ailment and was feeling uneasy.

While Gautam was returning from a government hospital in Mapusa town, his accomplices sprayed pepper spray at the police escort and fired shots in the air to deter the policemen from following them.

"We have intensified our search to nab the three accused. It was clearly a pre-planned move and points to the use of mobile phones within the jail. We have recovered the used cartridges from the scene and have begun interrogating key persons, including the ambulance driver who went missing at the time of discharge," Prabhudessai said.