Thief’s escape bid proves fatal

A 25-year-old thief fell to his death from the sixth floor of a Versova building early morning, when he was trying to flee from the police team chasing him. The police arrested three of his accomplices.

A 25-year-old thief fell to his death from the sixth floor of a Versova building on Thursday early morning, when he was trying to flee from the police team chasing him. The police arrested three of his accomplices.

Police said that the accused worked as domestic help during the day and robbed homes at night. Their criminal records are being investigated.

The incident occurred at 1:30 am at Varun building on JP road near Versova. The deceased, Sunil Singh, and his accomplices Ankit Kumar (19), Shambu Kamath (22) and Ramsevak Singh (24) sneaked into the sea-facing building from the beach front. Three security guards were posted in the building compound that time, police said.

Police said that the accused managed to remove the glass from the window of a flat on the first floor. “It’s at that time that someone saw them and informed the police control room,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police Dilip Suryavanshi.

When the Versova police reached the entrance of the building, the accused climbed up the drainage pipe to the terrace. “When our team reached the top of the building, the accused tried to come down using the same pipes. Sunil lost control and fell,” said Senior Police Inspector Suresh Nalavade.

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The remaining three accused gave up trying to escape after seeing their accomplice fall and were arrested. Sunil was rushed to Cooper Hospital, Vile Parle, were he succumbed to his injuries, police said.

Veeru Singh, a security guard of the building said, “ The beach area outside the building is deserted and the accused must have hid in the dark before climbing over the boundary wall.”