Nagpur, India: In Nagpur, an accused escaped from the Ajni Police Station lockup early Wednesday morning but was soon caught in Betul, Madhya Pradesh. The accused, Mohammad Irfan Samshad Ansari, found a gap in the lockup bars and used it to escape, highlighting a security issue reported earlier. Police had already asked the Public Works Department (PWD) to fix the gap, but Diwali delayed repair.

Irfan, a 20-year-old resident of Ambe Nagar, Pardi, was in custody for several crimes, including a recent theft during Navratri. He had been arrested on Tuesday for stealing cash from a Durga Pandal near Jadu Mahal. With a history of serious offences like robbery and burglary, Irfan’s record dates back four years.

Around 5 a.m., while the lockup guard briefly stepped away, Irfan escaped through the gap in the railing. Police started searching, led by Senior Police Inspector Nitin Chandra Rajkumar. They found out that Irfan had changed clothes and planned to meet his girlfriend. With help from his family, police learned that Irfan was trying to leave the area by train.

Police tracked him to the Sanghamitra Express, which he had boarded, and followed his movements when he later changed to the Bagmati Express at Itarsi station. After a joint effort with the Railway Protection Force (RPF), police finally captured him at Betul station.

The gap Irfan used to escape was known, but repairs were delayed. This incident has highlights the need to quickly fix security issues at police facilities to prevent future escapes.