Undertrial tries to flee from Cooper Hospital in vain

Mumbai: An undertrial prisoner, who was taken to Cooper Hospital for treatment, allegedly tried to escape from police custody and also assaulted one of the constables to evade.

The accused – identified as Taufiq Islam Sheikh, 29 – was in the hospital since Monday due to seizures and was being taken for an MRI on Wednesday. He was in the custody of the Vile Parle Police Station for a property-related offence.

“Two constables were accompanying him when he was in the hospital. On Wednesday afternoon, when he was being taken to the MRI unit, which is on the sixth floor of the hospital, he got out of the handcuffs and ran away,” said a senior police officer.

“Sheikh then assaulted constable Suyog Vaidya from Vile Parle Police Station,” he added.

As per the FIR filed by Juhu police, the accused complained that he was feeling cold and asked for a sheet. “Before this, he had asked the accompanying cops to loosen the shackles a little saying that his wrists were hurting. Under the sheet, he somehow got his hand released from the handcuffs,” states the FIR.

Vaidya had fallen due to a push by the accused as he ran off after freeing himself.

Both the constables chased Sheikh and also alerted the Juhu Police under whose jurisdiction the hospital is located. The patrolling party from Juhu Police also reached the hospital within minutes. Together, the officers nabbed Sheikh before he could exit the hospital.

A case was then registered against Sheikh at the Juhu Police Station for obstructing the work of a government worker and assaulting him.