<p>A 26-year-old undertrial prisoner, who was admitted to a government hospital in Thane after testing Covid-19 positive, escaped from the facility by removing an exhaust fan in the toilet, police said on Saturday.</p>.<p>The undertrial escaped from the Thane Civil Hospital during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, they said.</p>.<p>The man was arrested on December 8 for allegedly stealing a mobile phone. A court had sent him to judicial custody and he was lodged at Thane central jail, a police official said.</p>.<p>"He tested Covid-19 positive recently and was admitted to the civil hospital. He was undergoing treatment in a special ward for coronavirus patients there. As police guards have to sit outside the ward as per the protocol, the undertrial was handcuffed to the bed," he said.</p>.<p>Around 3 am on Friday, when the police guards went for a round, they did not find the undertrial on the bed, although the handcuffs were still attached to it. They checked the toilet and found that a stool was placed below the exhaust fan, the official said.</p>.<p>"It was found that the undertrial had removed the exhaust fan and escaped through hollow space. A search was carried out in the premises, but in vain," he said.</p>.<p>Thane Nagar police have registered a case under IPC section 224 (resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension) against him and a search was on.</p>
<p>A 26-year-old undertrial prisoner, who was admitted to a government hospital in Thane after testing Covid-19 positive, escaped from the facility by removing an exhaust fan in the toilet, police said on Saturday.</p>.<p>The undertrial escaped from the Thane Civil Hospital during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, they said.</p>.<p>The man was arrested on December 8 for allegedly stealing a mobile phone. A court had sent him to judicial custody and he was lodged at Thane central jail, a police official said.</p>.<p>"He tested Covid-19 positive recently and was admitted to the civil hospital. He was undergoing treatment in a special ward for coronavirus patients there. As police guards have to sit outside the ward as per the protocol, the undertrial was handcuffed to the bed," he said.</p>.<p>Around 3 am on Friday, when the police guards went for a round, they did not find the undertrial on the bed, although the handcuffs were still attached to it. They checked the toilet and found that a stool was placed below the exhaust fan, the official said.</p>.<p>"It was found that the undertrial had removed the exhaust fan and escaped through hollow space. A search was carried out in the premises, but in vain," he said.</p>.<p>Thane Nagar police have registered a case under IPC section 224 (resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension) against him and a search was on.</p>