Pune: Prisoners ask to stop for toilet break; assault cops and flee

(Clockwise, from left) Kalya aka Mahadev Pathare, Santosh Jagtap and Santosh Chandilkar were being escorted back from their court appearance in Satara

Pune: Pissed off is the least of the emotions four policemen from Pune are feeling right now, after three under trial prisoners gave them the slip during a pee break. The incident occurred on Monday evening, when the cops were returning to jail after producing the trio at a court in Satara. A FIR has been registered against the fugitives at the Bharti Vidyapeeth police station.

Also read: Sly thief takes 'loo break', avoids arrest

The incident took place around 7.30 pm at an isolated area on National Highway 4, near the Katraj Ghat. Narrating the incident in his police statement, head constable Sanjay Chandwane said, "On Monday, I, along with S V Kokare, S K Khade, V A Mandare were given the duty of taking their custody from the Yerawada central prison, producing them in the court in Satara and bringing them back to the prison. Accordingly, around 10 am we took custody of the trio and made them sit in the minivan."
The fugitives Kalya Mahadev Pathare alias Raju (25), Santosh Chintaman Chandilkar alias Lodya (25) and Santosh Machindra Jagtap (30), were later escorted to Satara. They have been put on trial for a case of robbery and possession of firearms registered against them in 2015 in the Khandala taluka in Satara. They were produced in the judicial magistrate (first class) court in Khandala Pargoan in Satara district.

Fled to the forest
"Around 1.30 pm, we reached the court and the trio's hearing was adjourned till April 21. Around 5.30 pm, we collected the report from the court, and headed to Pune using the old highway from Katraj. After we put them [the criminals] in the car, they complained about pain their hands and requested us to keep their hands free of handcuffs. We did not handcuff them," said the constable, adding, "Later, around 6.45 pm, the trio requested us to allow them to urinate. We told them we'd let them go after we cross the toll plaza. Later, [we stopped and] one of us stood behind every inmate. After they finished urinating, they manhandled us and fled in the direction of forest."

Negligent escort team
A senior police officer told mid-day, "The four policemen are new and two of them have been transferred from the state reserve police force. All of them are well trained about such notorious act of culprits. The undertrial prisoners were not handcuffed at all and they [the cops] have been directed that if they want to allow them to urinate, they must approach a nearby police station or seek additional manpower and then let them do so."

"In this case too, there was a complete neglect on the part of the police. And while the incident took place around 7 pm, they approached the Bharti Vidyapeeth police station around 11.30 pm, due to which there was a delay in catching the culprits."

Cops suspended
Deputy commissioner of police (Headquarter II) Arvind Chavirya said, "The four policemen are suspended and an internal inquiry has been constituted against them."

A jail official said, "We came to know that there was no hearing and the date [for the next one] was announced in the afternoon. I do not understand why the policemen were waiting in court till 5.30 pm, as our last call entry into prison is till 6 pm. It seems like they've mischievously delayed bringing the undertrials to prison."

Senior inspector Vijaysinh Gaikwad of Bharti Vidyapeeth police station said, "We rushed to the spot as soon as we came to know about the incident. We were trying to nab them till 7 am on Tuesday and searched the entire forest, but did not get any clue. The trio are residents of Pune city and have been held in the past for robbery and possession of firearms." The three of them have been booked under Sections 224 (Resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension) and 34 (common intention).