BENGALURU: A notorious woman thief from Tamil Nadu managed to escape from police custody in Ramanagara just after midnight on Friday.
The 40-year-old thief, wanted by the police for the last 16 years, had been arrested along with two of her associates by the Magadi police recently.
As women accused cannot be detained at a police station after sunset, she was shifted to the Sakhi Kendra at Ramanagara District Hospital. Around 12.30 am on Friday, she managed to escape.
The accused, Mala, a resident of Kammasandra, Bengaluru, was from Hosur, Tamil Nadu. After Mala and her two associates were arrested, the police had taken them into their custody till March 23 to recover stolen properties. Two women police personnel were at the hospital guarding Mala when she escaped.
After realising that she had run away, the police searched for her at bus stations, railway station and other places, but could not trace her.
A complaint was filed at the Ramanagara Town police station by station Inspector ST Srinivasa. A case of resistance or obstruction by a person to lawful apprehension under section 262 of BNS has been registered against Mala.