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BHOPAL: High drama unfolded in Sagar district Saturday after an undertrial, charged with rape and under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, escaped police custody and climbed onto the roof of police residential quarters, threatening to jump off unless he is paid Rs 50,000.The stand-off lasted nearly an hour before police managed to talk him down and take him back into custody. Police said the undertrial, Ranjit Ghoshi, 43, was brought from jail to Sagar district court for a scheduled hearing. However, after his appearance, Ghoshi managed to slip away while being escorted back to the lock-up, leading to a frantic chase by police. He was soon spotted atop the police quarters, about half a kilometre from the court, demanding Rs 50,000 and threatening to jump off the building if his demand wasn’t met. Witnesses said traffic came to a standstill as locals rushed to witness the spectacle.Police engaged Ghoshi in conversation for nearly an hour. “We kept him talking to ensure he didn’t harm himself. Finally, a team climbed up from the rear of the building and caught him off-guard,” an officer present at the scene said. Police registered a fresh case against the accused for escaping from custody.
