Nagpur: A woman police constable faced the heat for dereliction of duty on her part as a rape accused fled from Ajni police custody on Wednesday. The woman constable Vanita Jhunghare was suspended by Joint Commissioner of Police Ravindra Kadam on Friday.
A resident of Tulsi Nagar, Bhandewadi, the accused Nikhil Chetram Nandankar (27) was arrested by probationary Police Sub-Inspector Bonde for kidnapping and raping a minor girl and was kept in the lock-up of Ajni Police Station on Wednesday night.
Booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, Nikhil was to be produced before the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class on Thursday. Constable Junghare was on sentry duty. Jhunghare, who was allegedly ‘busy’ talking on her cell phone, failed to bolt the lock-up properly in which accused Nikhil was confined. Grabbing the opportunity, accused Nikhil slipped away.
Jolted by the escape of accused, senior police officials checked the footage of CCTV cameras installed in police station premises and recommended disciplinary action against Jhunghare for dereliction of duty.
Taking a serious note, the Joint Commissioner Ravindra Kadam, in consultation with Commissioner of Police Dr Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay, placed Jhungare under suspension. A departmental inquriy would be conducted against Jhunghare. Similarly, an inquiry would also be initiated against a couple of police officers and other staff who were present at the police station at the time of incident.
Meanwhile, separate police teams have launched a manhunt for accused Nikhil.
