Undertrial escapes from police custody in Thane

An undertrial escaped from police custody while he was being brought to the central jail in Thane. Devendra Bably Mali (24), a resident of Nalla Sopara town in Thane, was arrested on Sunday on charges of robbery, and illegal possession of weapons. He was yesterday produced before a magistrate in Vasai who sent him in judicial remand. Later, after his medical checkup, the police escort team was taking Mali to the Thane Central Jail in a state transport bus.

At around 9 pm, the police team along with Mali alighted from the bus at the city's Manpada junction as the undertrial said he wanted to answer the nature's call. As the escort team took him to the roadside, Mali pushed past the security men and escaped, taking advantage of the darkness, Thane police PRO Sukhada Narkar said. The police searched for him in vain.

The Kapurbawdi police, under whose jurisdiction the undertrial escaped, today registered an FIR in connection with the incident. As per the FIR, Mali was being ferried to Thane in the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus as the police van was not available at that time.