Pune: Constable Suspended After POCSO Accused Escapes From Yerawada Police Station Lockup

A police constable has been suspended after an accused booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) fled from the lockup at Yerawada Police Station, officials said on Saturday.

The accused allegedly escaped after being taken out of the lockup to collect a bedsheet; instead of being handed one inside the cell, they added.

The suspended constable has been identified as Sachin Shinde.

The action was taken by Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajanikant Chilumula after it was found that there was negligence in handling the accused.

The incident occurred on February 8 at around 7:45 pm inside the police custody area of the Yerawada Police Station.

The accused, Shailesh Raju Mohite (18), a resident of Raj Chowk, Yerawada, had been arrested on February 5 in connection with a case registered under the POCSO Act. The court had remanded him to police custody until February 10.

On the night of the incident, Constable Shinde and Police Naik Hanvate from the Airport Police Station were on guard duty. Mohite reportedly asked for a bedsheet. Instead of providing the bedsheet directly, the on-duty staff took him out of the lockup and sent him towards the bathroom area to collect it.

However, as per procedure, the accused should not have been sent alone. Due to a lack of proper supervision and the absence of adequate security personnel at that time, Mohite managed to remove the glass panes of the bathroom window and escaped from the premises.

Following the escape, a case was registered at the Yerawada Police Station. An internal inquiry found that the lockup guard and on-duty personnel failed to maintain proper vigilance and did not take necessary safety precautions. The negligence brought disrepute to the police department.

Taking serious note of the lapse, DCP Rajanikant Chilumula ordered the immediate suspension of Constable Sachin Shinde pending further investigation.