POCSO accused escapes Kalaburagi police station via neem tree; hunt on
Synopsis
A POCSO accused walked out of a Karnataka police station by removing his handcuffs, shimmying down a neem tree from the second floor, and vanishing — all while on-duty personnel were allegedly asleep. The escape happened in the home district of the state's own Home Minister, and every second of it is on CCTV.
Key Takeaways
A 24-year-old POCSO accused escaped from Afzalpur police station , Kalaburagi , in the early hours of 3 July .
He allegedly removed his handcuffs, grabbed a neem tree branch from the second floor, and fled while guards were reportedly asleep.
The escape was fully captured on CCTV ; footage has been secured by investigators.
The accused had been arrested approximately one week earlier from Pune, Maharashtra , in connection with the abduction of a 16-year-old girl .
A special team is conducting a multi-state search across Karnataka , Andhra Pradesh , and Maharashtra .
Senior officials have admitted a serious security lapse and said action will be taken against guilty personnel.
A 24-year-old man arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act escaped from the Afzalpur police station in Kalaburagi district, Karnataka, in the early hours of Friday, 3 July, allegedly exploiting sleeping personnel on duty. The brazen escape — captured on CCTV — has triggered a multi-state manhunt and exposed a serious security failure at the lock-up.
How the Escape Unfolded
According to police, the accused reportedly removed his handcuffs, made his way to the edge of the second floor of the police station building, grabbed a branch of a nearby neem tree, climbed down, and fled into the darkness. The entire sequence was recorded by CCTV cameras installed at the station, and investigators have secured the footage to determine how he freed himself from the restraints and breached the secured lock-up.
Background: The POCSO Case
The case originated after the parents of a 16-year-old girl from a village under Afzalpur police station's jurisdiction filed a missing person complaint. Investigators established that the accused, from the same village, had allegedly lured the minor under the pretext of a romantic relationship and abducted her. Acting on credible intelligence that the pair were in Pune, Maharashtra, an Afzalpur police team — accompanied by the girl's parents — travelled to Pune and arrested the accused. He was brought back to Afzalpur late at night, while the rescued minor was admitted to Kalaburagi Government Hospital for a medical examination. The accused had been in custody for approximately one week before the escape.
Political Embarrassment and Official Response
The incident has caused considerable embarrassment to the Karnataka police establishment, occurring as it did in Kalaburagi — the home district of Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge. Senior officials have acknowledged it as a serious security lapse and stated that action will be initiated against personnel found guilty of negligence.
Search Operations and What Comes Next
A special team has been constituted to trace the absconding accused. Search operations are underway across Karnataka and the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. An investigation is ongoing to determine the full circumstances of the escape, including how the accused managed to free himself from his handcuffs — a question that scrutiny of the CCTV footage is expected to answer. The incident raises broader questions about overnight custody protocols at district police stations across the state.
Point of View
But the real issue is structural: overnight custody at many district stations relies on minimal staffing and informal supervision. Karnataka is not alone in this vulnerability, and without mandatory custody audits and accountability for dereliction of duty, escapes like this will recur. The CCTV footage is damning precisely because it shows the failure was entirely preventable.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the POCSO accused escape from Kalaburagi's Afzalpur police station?
The accused allegedly removed his handcuffs, moved to the edge of the second floor of the police station, grabbed a branch of a nearby neem tree, climbed down, and fled. The entire escape was captured on CCTV cameras installed at the station.
Who is the accused and what was the POCSO case about?
The accused is a 24-year-old man from a village under Afzalpur police station's jurisdiction. He was arrested for allegedly luring a 16-year-old girl under the pretext of a romantic relationship and abducting her; police traced and arrested him in Pune, Maharashtra.
Why is the escape politically significant?
The incident occurred in Kalaburagi, the home district of Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge, making it an embarrassment for the state government and intensifying scrutiny of police administration in the region.
What action is being taken after the escape?
A special police team has been formed to trace the accused, with search operations spanning Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. An internal investigation is underway, and senior officials have said action will be initiated against personnel found guilty of negligence.
What happens to the rescued minor in this case?
The 16-year-old girl was rescued when police arrested the accused in Pune and was admitted to Kalaburagi Government Hospital for a medical examination. Her case under the POCSO Act continues independently of the accused's escape.
