On Monday, September 8, 2025, a 34-year-old life-sentenced prisoner, Chaitanya Kalyani, escaped from Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in Bengaluru while undergoing treatment for mouth cancer. Kalyani, convicted in a murder case, was transferred from Vijayapura District Jail to Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru on August 3, 2025, for medical reasons. Following the advice of jail doctors, he was admitted to Kidwai Hospital as an inpatient on August 21, 2025.
The escape occurred between 1:00 and 1:15 p.m. when Kalyani, who is unable to speak due to his condition, managed to flee despite attempts by three nurses to stop him. CCTV footage captured the incident, revealing that Bengaluru Central Jail warden Y.R. Raghu, assigned to escort Kalyani, was not present at the time. A senior jail official stated that action would be taken against Raghu for negligence.
A complaint has been filed by Raghu at Siddapura Police Station, and a case has been registered against Kalyani under Section 262 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for resisting or obstructing lawful apprehension. Bengaluru police have launched a manhunt to apprehend the escaped convict. The incident has raised concerns about security lapses by the jail staff responsible for escorting Kalyani.
