AHMEDABAD: The Surat City Crime Branch, in a coordinated operation with Delhi Police, arrested a murder accused who had been absconding for 16 years.
The fugitive, wanted in a 2009 Delhi murder case, was finally traced to Surat’s Punagam area, where he had been living under a false identity and working as a lace shop labourer.
The accused, along with his associate, had allegedly killed his employer following a heated argument over money.
After committing the crime, both men disappeared into the shadows, eluding police for over a decade and a half.
To dodge arrest, the accused lived a ghost-like life, changing shelters, identities, and jobs across states.
But his luck finally ran out.
Acting on a precise intelligence tip, the Delhi Crime Branch traced his current whereabouts in Bhaiyanagar, Punagam.
They swiftly reached Surat and joined hands with the local Crime Branch. Together, the teams laid a trap and nabbed the accused from his modest residence, catching him completely off-guard.
After confirming his identity, Surat Police handed him over to the Delhi Crime Branch, marking the end of his 16-year-long escape.