Navi Mumbai: Two women accused of stealing electric overhead wires from a railway godown in Juinagar allegedly escaped from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) lock-up at Belapur railway station in the early hours of Monday by using their sarees to climb down from the building. While one of the accused was recaptured from Nerul within hours, the second remains absconding.
Escape Took Place During Guard Change Absence
The escape took place at around 2.13 am when a woman head constable deployed on guard duty at the lock-up reportedly went to the bathroom. Taking advantage of her absence, the two women allegedly reached through the lock-up door, pulled and broke the lock from outside and opened the latch before making their way to the rear balcony.
According to police, the women removed their sarees, tied them to a generator installed on the balcony and used them as a makeshift rope to climb down from the building. They then fled from the spot.
CCTV Footage Examined After Escape
The head constable noticed that the women were missing after returning to the lock-up. The RPF immediately checked CCTV footage and launched a search operation in the surrounding areas.
The accused, Rupali Kailas Kuhade, 30, and Shalibai Ashok Pawar, 40, were arrested on September 26 by a joint team of the Belapur RPF and Vashi Government Railway Police in connection with the theft of electric overhead wires from a railway godown at Juinagar. The theft was reported on September 21.
One Accused Traced From Nerul Railway Station Area
A court had remanded the duo in police custody till September 30, following which they were lodged in the RPF lock-up at Belapur railway station.
Following the escape, RPF Sub-Inspector Milap Singh Parte and his team launched a search for the accused. At around 8.45 am, Kuhade was traced and apprehended from the Nerul railway station area.
“Search operations are underway to trace the second accused. CCTV footage from the areas through which the women may have fled is being examined and teams have been deployed to locate her,” a police officer said.
Pawar remains untraced. The RPF and railway police are jointly conducting a search for her.
A case has been registered at the Panvel Government Railway Police station under Sections 262 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
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