Nagpur: Dealing a jolt to the police department, a 26 year old accused being escorted to Nagpur from Goa managed to loosen his hands off the handcuffs and fled away from the Vidarbha Express. The accused identified as Ritwik Shukla was booked by Gittikhadan police for forgery and breach of trust. Shukla sensed the escape route as the train chugged into Malkapur station in Buldhana district and a single jerk reportedly freed his hand from the handcuff. However, the role of police has come under suspicion in the entire episode.
Police sub-inspector (PSI) Harishchandra Ingoley, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Rajesh Lohee, constables Nilesh Ingoley and Kulsunge of Gittikhadan police had taken Shukla into custody in Goa, where he was behind the bars for last few weeks, and were on their way to city.
Meanwhile a cop escorted Shukla to bathroom from where he took the move. PSI Ingoley said that Shukla ran into shrubs along the tracks and entered a nearby locality. Government railway police at Shegaon station have registered an offence against him. Sources said that lack of coordination between city cops despite availability of digital policing platform like crime and criminal tracking network and system (CCTNS) raises many questions.
Earlier this month, New Kamptee police had arrested Shukla after he was spotted riding a bike with registration number of Goa.
During interrogation, Shukla admitted to have stolen the bike from Goa where he had hired it as a tourist. Goa police had registered an offence of theft against Shukla. Though Shukla had been booked by Gittikhadan police, New Kamptee police handed him over to Goa police without checking records. Shukla, who delivered goods for an online shopping portal, had been booked for allegedly stealing material worth over Rs1 lakh. Zonal DCP Chinmay Pandit said that an inquiry by an inspector of a different police station would be initiated soon.
