Mumbai: In a dramatic turn of events, a habitual offender who had escaped from police custody at the Colaba Sessions Court earlier this week has been arrested in Virar. The breakthrough came after a seemingly minor dispute at a local tea stall drew attention to his identity.

The accused, Harrison Anthony Joseph, 47, a resident of the Crawford Market area, had fled from police custody on April 7. He had been brought from Arthur Road Jail to attend a court hearing when he managed to escape within the court premises, raising serious concerns about security lapses.

Joseph is no stranger to law enforcement. Around 20 serious cases are registered against him across multiple police stations in Mumbai, including MRA Marg, Colaba, Wadala, Sewri, and L T Marg. His offences range from possession of weapons to involvement in a deadly assault.

The accused’s run came to an unexpected end in Virar West on Thursday morning. He was reportedly involved in an argument over payment at a tea stall located near a municipal ward office. His behaviour raised suspicion among Beat Marshal Dinesh Sanap and security guard Akshay Desai.

When questioned, Joseph failed to provide satisfactory answers, prompting officials to detain him and take him to Bolinj Police Station. During interrogation by Senior Police Inspector Prakash Kawale and PSI Navnath Kadam, he confessed to escaping from court custody.

Police officials confirmed his identity and extensive criminal record. Deputy Commissioner of Police Suhas Bavche stated that Joseph has a history of housebreaking and theft, along with offences under the POCSO Act. He had also been externed multiple times in the past, in 2007, 2012, 2019, and 2022.

Authorities are now investigating the circumstances that enabled his escape, even as they credit alert personnel for ensuring his swift arrest.

Thane: A 26-year-old woman has been found hanging at a hotel in Maharashtra’s Thane district, prompting police to launch a probe into her death from various angles, officials said on Sunday.

The woman had come to the hotel located in the Ambernath area and was found hanging from a ceiling fan in a room there on Friday night, they said.

After being alerted by the hotel staff, police rushed to the spot and sent the body to a government hospital for a post-mortem, an official from Ambernath police station said.

The police have as of now registered a case of accidental death and are conducting a probe to ascertain whether it was a suicide or somebody killed her, he said.

Mumbai: A shocking stabbing incident came to light at the Simba Uproar 2026 event held at the MMRDA Grounds in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) on April 11, raising concerns over security arrangements at the venue.

An MBA student, identified as Aditya Mukhi, was allegedly stabbed at the event and sustained serious injuries. Mukhi, a resident of Sion, was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital and is currently undergoing treatment. The attack has raised serious questions about security checks at large public gatherings, as the event was attended by a huge crowd.

Moreover, concerns are also being raised over how the attacker was able to carry a weapon inside the venue, when there are strict checks and very limited items allowed to be carried inside the venue. Meanwhile, on the incident, a case has been registered at the BKC Police Station, and an investigation is currently underway.

Notably, the MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai is a major venue where many concerts and large public events are held regularly, and an incident like this is alarming because it raises fears about safety and security for future events.

Simba Uproar 2026 is a major hip-hop music event that brings together some of India’s popular rap and hip-hop artists for a large-scale live concert, which includes high-energy performances by artists such as KRSNA, Sambata, and Dhanji.

Meanwhile, recently, during rapper-singer Yo Yo Honey Singh’s concert at MMRDA grounds, a viral video showed chaos at the concert after a female fan attempted to climb a gate mid-show while Singh was performing. In the video, a female fan was seen attempting to climb a closed gate at the venue to enter the singer’s concert while waiting outside. When security on the other side stopped her, she began shouting and abusing them.