In a dramatic late-night incident in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi district, an accused in a major cyber fraud case managed to escape police custody after allegedly locking the escorting Haryana Police team inside a roadside dhaba room. The accused, identified as Manjeet Mahato, was recaptured nearly five hours later following an intensive search operation.
The Midnight Escape at Bilgram Dhaba
The incident unfolded late on Friday night. A cyber police team from Charkhi Dadri in Haryana was transporting the accused, Manjeet Mahato, to Rae Bareli. Their mission was to arrest one of Mahato's associates in connection with a significant cyber fraud case. The complaint, filed on December 12 by Rohtak Road resident Devendra Singh, alleged a loss of Rs 1.12 crore in a stock market investment scam.
During the journey, after midnight, the team stopped at a dhaba situated on the Unnao–Katra road under the Bilgram Kotwali police limits. After having a meal, the policemen and the accused retired to a room for rest. Seizing this opportunity, Mahato allegedly stepped out and locked the policemen inside from the outside before fleeing the scene.
Delayed Alert and Intensive Manhunt
The escape was not discovered immediately, causing a critical delay. Sources indicate that local police in Bilgram were informed nearly two hours after the escape, which hampered the initial phase of the search. Once alerted, teams from Bilgram and nearby police stations rushed to the location and launched a widespread operation.
Questions were raised about how Mahato, who was reportedly handcuffed, executed his escape. During his flight, he encountered a farmer from a nearby village. Posing as a local labourer, Mahato even used the farmer's phone to call his family in an attempt to arrange Rs 5,000 via PhonePe. The digital transaction, however, failed.
As police intensified their questioning in the area and news of the escape spread, Mahato was forced to flee again to avoid capture.
Recapture and Aftermath
The search operation, led by Bilgram Circle Officer Ravi Prakash Singh and Kotwali In-charge Arvind Rai under the directions of Additional Superintendent of Police (West) Martand Prakash Singh, finally bore fruit on Saturday. Mahato was rearrested near Behti Khurd, close to the Ganga Expressway, hours after his daring escape.
He was subsequently handed back to the Haryana Police. Hardoi Superintendent of Police Ashok Meena confirmed that an additional FIR has been registered against Mahato at Bilgram Kotwali for escaping from police custody. A further inquiry has been initiated to examine the lapses and circumstances that allowed the accused to flee.
The entire sequence of events came to light publicly on Sunday, highlighting a significant breach in security protocol during prisoner transit.
