A 32-year-old undertrial prisoner, facing charges of sexually assaulting and murdering a six-year-old girl in Bhiwandi in 2023, escaped from police custody on Monday. The accused, identified as Salamat Ali Ansari, managed to flee while being escorted by the Thane police team after his court appearance in Bhiwandi.
According to police sources, Ansari was lodged in Thane jail and brought to the Bhiwandi court for a scheduled hearing. He was brought to the court premises at 11 AM and was produced before the sessions court around 1 PM.
Following his court appearance, Ansari was taken back to the police van under escort. However, he managed to escape from the court premises while still under police supervision. Despite an immediate chase, the escort team failed to apprehend him.
The Bhiwandi City Police had previously arrested Ansari from Bihar in connection with the brutal sexual assault and murder of the six-year-old minor. An FIR had been registered against him under charges of murder and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Senior Police Inspector Vinayak Gaikwad of Shantinagar Police Station said, "We have formed six teams and launched an extensive search operation to trace the accused. Our teams are searching in and around the Bhiwandi and Kalyan railway stations."
An FIR has also been filed against Ansari under Section 262 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for escaping from lawful custody.
