Pune: A convict serving a life sentence escaped from the Yerawada open prison on Friday afternoon, with officers suggesting that fear of an inquiry into a mobile phone found in the prison farm area a few days ago may have prompted the escape.
Prisoner Identification
The escaped prisoner has been identified as Santosh Laxman Bhingare, a resident of Pachwad village in Wai taluka of Satara district.
Complaint Filed
Prison officer Nagnath Mahadev Bhanavase (55) of Manjari lodged a complaint with the Yerawada police on Saturday evening. The incident occurred on May 8 between 1:30 pm and 6 pm. Notably, the open prison lacks walls.
Senior inspector Anjum Bagwan of the Yerawada police told TOI, "Bhingare had been sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case registered at Bhuinj police station in Satara district. He had been transferred from Kolhapur Open District Prison to Yerawada Open District Prison on October 19, 2025. He was assigned work at the prison barber shop."
Mobile Phone Discovery
On May 8, the prison superintendent and senior officials were inspecting the agricultural section when they discovered an abandoned mobile phone without a SIM card near the mulberry garden. Bhingare and another inmate were to be questioned regarding the phone. After dinner, Bhingare reportedly told prison staff he was returning to the barrack. However, when called again for questioning, he was not found.
According to prison officials, Bhingare believed that he would be placed back in the walled prison instead of the open prison because the mobile was found, and a fresh case would be filed against him.
Search Efforts
The complaint states that a search was conducted in the prison farm and surrounding areas, but Bhingare could not be traced.
