Police are responsible for escorting inmates, according to a jail official

PUNE: The responsibility of prisoners lies with the city police once they are handed over to them for being taken to either court or hospital, deputy superintendent of Yerawada Central Prison Sudhir Kingre said on Sunday. He was responding to a query by TOI on Saturday’s escape from police custody of Yogesh Raut, the main suspect in the Nayana Pujari rape-murder case. If prisoners have to be sent to hospital or court, the prison authorities have to send a requisition to the city police for an escort, Kingre said. “Accordingly, the prison authorities had sent a requisition to the city police and sought an escort to send 10 undertrials to the Sassoon hospital on Saturday,” he said. Kingre said there is a hospital inside the prison, but it is not possible to treat prisoners for serious illness. Hence, we had to send them (10 undertrials) to the Sassoon hospital for treatment.” Deputy commissioner of police (headquarters) Shirish Sardeshpande said the number of guards provided to escort undertrials always varies. According to him, “two guards are typically provided for each undertrial, but due to staff shortages, it is not always possible.” Raut had previously complained of bodily itching, according to another prison official. Raut’s attorney, Vidyadhar Koshe, denied knowledge of his client’s illness, saying only that “he had recently complained about body ache, stomach ache, and vomiting. He was treated three times in the prison hospital before being referred to the Sassoon hospital.” Koshe claimed that Raut’s choice to escape from detention will undoubtedly work against him during the trial, saying, “Raut or his relatives did not contact me to file any application with the court regarding his illness.” The police will launch an investigation into the policeman, according to DCP Sardeshpande. We will take measures against him if found guilty, Sardeshpande added.