UP: Prisoner escapes before hearing; constable suspended

Deoria, Uttar Pradesh: A prisoner brought from the Deoria district jail for a hearing to a local court here escaped from custody, the police said on Friday, adding that a constable was suspended in this connection.

Shiva Bansfod, a local of Hata in Kushinagar district, was arrested in the Mahuadih police station area of Deoria district in a case of rape under the POCSO Act and was sent to jail, the police said.

On Thursday, he was brought from the district jail to the court for the hearing, where he dodged the police and escaped from the court premises.

Following a complaint by Dilip Kumar Pandey, the police constable who brought Bansfod for the hearing, a case was registered under Section 262 (Resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension) of the BNS in the Kotwali police station.

Subsequently, four police teams were formed to arrest him.

Apart from this, a case was also registered against constable Krishna Ram under Section 261 (Escape from confinement or custody negligently suffered by public servant) of the BNS in this connection, the police said.

Additionally, an investigation is being conducted by the Circle Officer (city) for departmental action against the constable for laxity and negligence in discharging his official duties.