Video: Karnataka Cops Sleep On Duty, Accused In Child Sexual Abuse Flees

An accused in child sexual abuse case allegedly took advantage of police personnel sleeping on duty and escaped from a police station in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district, triggering a manhunt across multiple states.

The accused, identified as Manjunath, was arrested about a week ago in connection with a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and was being held at a police station.

According to police, the accused escaped from the lock-up around midnight on Thursday. He allegedly fled by jumping from the second floor of the police station building.

#Watch | A man accused in a POCSO case escaped from a police station in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district after allegedly taking advantage of police personnel who had fallen asleep on duty. pic.twitter.com/yCxNwS8UV8

— NDTV (@ndtv) July 3, 2026

Police suspect Manjunath managed to escape after noticing that personnel inside the station had fallen asleep while on duty. 

CCTV visuals from around 3:00 am on Thursday have surfaced, purportedly capturing the accused as he fled the premises.

Following the escape, police launched a manhunt to trace and arrest the accused. Search teams are conducting operations in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Further investigation is underway.