MANGALURU: For 39 long years, Avil D’Souza was lucky enough to keep the police at bay and evade arrest in a case of attempt to murder when he was 17 years old. Now, at 56, his luck ran out when the anti-rowdy squad started screening old warrants and arrested him.
According to police sources, D’Souza from Padpu Adamkudru near Jeppinamogaru was involved in illicit liquor business when complainant Ganesh Shetty opposed it in the area. In 1980, D’Souza attempted to murder Shetty and a case was registered in Mangaluru Rural Police Station.
However, D’Souza went absconding, not appearing before the court. Over the years, the case gathered dust and D’Souza went about his life. He even went abroad to make a living and returned. He built a house at Ullal and settled down.
However, the anti-rowdy squad came across his pending warrant. The information about his whereabouts were collected and the squad, led by Mangaluru South assistant commissioner, finally nabbed him from his residence on Thursday. The operation was conducted under the guidance of City Police Commissioner Sandeep Patil and DCPs Hanumantharaya and Uma Prashanth, according to the police. DCP (Crime & Traffic) Uma Prashanth said the anti-rowdy squad screened all pending warrants against criminals in Mangaluru city. The accused was absconding and couldn’t be traced since he moved out of the address he provided during the incident. After tracing his whereabouts, the squad nabbed him, she said.