Pune: 13 Women Escape from Shelter Home in Mohammadwadi, 10 Bangladeshi Nationals Among Them
Hadapsar, 13th April 2026: In a dramatic incident, 13 women, including 10 Bangladeshi nationals, escaped from a shelter facility run by Rescue Foundation in the Mohammadwadi area of Pune city, raising serious concerns over security arrangements.
The incident occurred around 7 am on March 23, and a video of the escape has surfaced on social media. A case has since been registered at Kalepadal police station. Two of the women were later traced nearby and taken into custody, while search efforts are underway to locate the remaining 11.
According to police, all the women housed at the facility were victims booked under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (PITA) and were linked to cases registered at multiple police stations, including Dighi, Faraskhana, Shirur, Dehuroad, Jejuri, Kondhwa and Nagar.
Preliminary investigations revealed that three Bangladeshi women had allegedly planned the escape. Taking advantage of the presence of a lone senior महिला कर्मचारी (female staff member) in the rector’s room, they allegedly gagged her, tied her hands and legs, and took possession of the main gate keys kept in a cupboard.
The trio then opened the gate and fled the premises, following which other inmates also escaped.
Senior Police Inspector Mansing Patil of Kalepadal police station said special teams have been formed to trace the absconding women, and further legal action is underway.
The shelter home currently houses 42 women, of whom 32 are Bangladeshi nationals. Officials said some of them continued to stay at the facility even after the expiry of their visas.
The incident has raised serious questions over the safety and monitoring mechanisms at the shelter home.
