POCSO case accused escapes from Sassoon ICU, uses bamboo structure erected for repairs

In yet another escape of an accused from police custody in Sassoon General Hospital, a 26-year-old man, accused in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, who was being treated in an ICU of the government run hospital, escaped on Monday evening. Police said that the accused escaped from the window of the second floor ward and climbed down from the Bamboo structure erected along the wall for ongoing repairs.

Police have identified the escaped accused as Sunny Gautam Kuchekar (26), who was accused in a POCSO case registered at Panchgani police station in Satara district and was lodged in Yerawada Central prison under judicial custody. “The accused was lodged at Yerawada Central Prison and was brought to the prisoner’s ward around 1 pm on Monday afternoon after he complained of health issues. Around 3 pm he had a seizure after which he was admitted to an ICU ward as directed by the doctors. Around 5 pm he went to the bathroom. Probe suggests that he escaped from the bathroom window as he climbed down from the Bamboo structure erected along the wall for ongoing repairs of the plaster. After the escape came to light, senior officers were informed. A coordinated search has been launched. The officials from Panchgani police station have been informed.” said an officer from Bundgarden police station.

Between August 2010 and March 2025 as many as 12 incidents of prison inmates, undertrials or accused escaping from police custody from Sassoon Hospital were reported, including that of Mephedrone cartel kingpin Lalit Patil in October 2023.

After the escape of Lalit Patil, a major overhaul of the security measures at the Prison ward was initiated. For the lapses in security, nine cops were suspended and two of them were dismissed from the service. The Sassoon General hospital was ordered by the state government to dismantle the previous prison committee that oversaw and monitored the admissions at the ward. A new committee comprising department heads was formed. A dedicated police chowky was allocated for Sassoon hospital premises, with an officer and constabulary staff earmarked for round the clock deployment.