Over the course of the past 13 years, 11 inmates from Pune’s Yerawada Central Prison, who were transported to Sassoon General Hospital for medical treatment, have escaped. Among these individuals are notorious criminals and those accused in high-profile cases, reports The Indian Express.

This alarming trend exposes significant flaws in the security mechanism, which has yet to adapt and improve despite repeated incidents. Senior police officers emphasise the urgent necessity for a comprehensive revamp of the existing security measures.

The most recent incident involved the escape of Lalit Anil Patil (34), a high-profile narcotics racket operative, from the hospital late on Monday evening, just one day before his scheduled surgery.

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Among the escapees were individuals who were admitted to Ward No. 16, established in 2011, dedicated to accommodating prison inmates referred from prison infirmaries, primarily from Yerawada Central Prison.

According to Pune City police sources, Ward No. 16 can house up to 13 inmates, and typically, at any given time, seven to eight inmates require medical treatment for various ailments.

A four-member constabulary staff maintains round-the-clock vigilance, overseen by a sub-inspector. Given the sizable population of Yerawada Central Prison, numbering around 6,000 inmates, it is not uncommon for a significant number of prisoners to necessitate advanced medical care.

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Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Rohidas Pawar stated, “A review of security measures is now being planned. In the past, we have written to the authorities at the Sassoon Hospital that CCTV cameras be installed outside and inside the ward. Some have been installed in the lobby outside. However, the (proposal for) installation of cameras inside the ward did not go forward citing privacy concerns. We will be reviewing the scenario again and will press for installation of cameras inside the ward, leaving only some space outside its purview.”

Here is a list of prisoners who managed to escape from Sassoon General Hospital over the past 13 years:

  1. August 2010: Subhash Gore and Dagdu Bhosale, suspected sandalwood thieves, were admitted in August 2010.
  2. February 2011: Rohidas Choraghe, main suspect in the 2008 murder of real estate businessman Sandeep Bandal.
  3. April 2011: Santosh Shivaji Rashinkar, accused in the 2010 murder of a cable operator
  4. September 2011: Yogesh Raut, prime accused in the 2010 Nayana Pujari gang rape and murder case.
  5. October 2011: Vinod Lakhan, an undertrial facing charges of defrauding over 300 women.
  6. September 2016: Somnath Vishnu Raut, was accused in multiple crimes, including charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
  7. November 2017: A 17-year-old accused in a case involving vehicle arson.
  8. May 2018: Akshay Lonare, accused of raping a 15-year-old girl.
  9. April 2023: Balu alias Chakradhar Godse, arrested for illegal possession of firearms.
  10. May 2023: Virendra Sandeep Thakur, arrested in a case of theft by Pune Rural Police.
  11. October 2023: High-profile narcotics racket operative Lalit Anil Patil escaped on October 2, a day before his scheduled surgery during his stay at Sassoon General Hospital.