Security tightened at Sassoon’s ward No.16 after Lalit Patil escape incident
Pune police commissioner Retesh Kumaarr, on Sunday, issued directives aimed at strengthening the night round arrangements at the prison ward security at the hospital
Pune police have increased security in response to drug kingpin Lalit Patil’s escape from ward No.16 at Sassoon Hospital to stop similar instances from happening in the future.
Pune police commissioner Retesh Kumaarr, on Sunday, issued directives aimed at strengthening the night round arrangements at the prison ward security at the hospital.
In no circumstances an officer of the rank of assistant police inspector (API) be assigned the night round duty which should be undertaken only by a police official of the rank of police inspector (PI), states the directives.
Kumar in his order stated that if a police inspector rank officer was absent on night duty then the respective deputy commissioner must immediately assign the duty to a reserve police officer of the rank of PI.
In case, the reserve PI is not available, the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) must assign the task to a police Inspector rank official under the jurisdiction who must carry out night duty rounds at Sassoon Hospital twice a week. If the DCP or the assistant commissioner of police (ACP) are not available for the night round then they must inform the joint commissioner (law and order) about their absence.
The DCP of the zone will be the acting co -co-ordinating officer for night rounds and will himself conduct the night round. The police inspector must take help of crime, traffic and special branches for conducting the round and procuring night patrol vehicles for the night round activity, the order stated.
Meanwhile, two constables of Pune city police who were already facing suspension were arrested on Friday in Lalit Patil escape case.
Constable Natharam Bharat Kale, working as a police naik and constable Amit Auresh Jadhav were arrested for criminal negligence while discharging their duty at the Sassoon General Hospital on October 2 when Patil escaped. He was arrested again on October 17 from Chennai by the Mumbai police.
The duo were deputed at Sassoon hospital’s ward number 16 where Patil was undergoing treatment.
Earlier, Kumarr had suspended assistant police inspector Ramesh Janardan Kale, sub-inspector Mohini Dongre, head constable Adesh Sitaram Shivankar, constables Vishal Baburao Topale, Swapnil Chintaman Shinde, Digambar Vijay Chandanshiv, Navnath Bharat Kale, Pirappa Dattu Bansode, Amit Auresh Jadhav and police naik Natharam Bharat Kale.
A preliminary inquiry found that the police officials were negligent while discharging duty.
