Mira-Bhayandar: Less than 24 hours after a thief escaped from the custody of central crime branch unit in Mira Road after brutally assaulting police personnel, the 27-year-old was re-arrested by a team from the crime branch unit (Zone I) attached to the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station on Monday night.
The accused identified as-Haifal Kalu Ali (27) is a habitual offender who was taken into custody for further questioning for his alleged involvement in a spate of cycle and other theft cases. He had escaped from the custody of the central crime branch unit at around 1:30 am on Monday.
Accused's audacious escape
Ali was handcuffed and escorted by two police personnel to the crime branch office in Mira Road. However, when one of the personnel went out to bring dinner, Ali took the opportunity and apparently managed to wriggle his hands out of the handcuffs, before mounting a murderous assault on the other constable identified as-Jai Kumar Rathod with a rod and escaping from custody with his mobile phone and cash. Rathod who sustained severe head injuries was rushed to a private hospital where his condition continues to be critical.
How MBVV police caught the accused
Sensing the seriousness of the incident, MBVV police commissioner Madhukar Pandey deputed the crime branch unit to nab the accused. A team led by police inspector Aviraj Kurhade scanned more than 100 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras before zeroing-in on the accuse as he was about to board a train headed towards his native place near Malda in West Bengal at around 9:30 pm.
After escaping, the accused spent time at a friend’s place in Thane before heading to the CST railway station where he was caught by the police team. Ali’s custody has been handed over to the Mira Road police which has slapped additional charges including section 307 (attempt to murder), 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), 353(assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 333 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty) of the IPC against him.
Previous case of thief escaping from police custody
It may be recalled that a 30-year-old thief had outwitted the cops by escaping from the lock-up of Naya Nagar police station in Mira Road under the pretext of visiting the toilet, barely a few hours after his arrest on January 25, 2021. He was re-arrested a month later in February.
Haifal Kalu Ali | FPJ
