SURAT - In a significant breakthrough, local law enforcement has successfully apprehended a murder suspect who had been on the run for over two decades. The accused was found masquerading as a monk in Uttar Pradesh (UP), leading to an unconventional arrest operation involving officers disguised as sadhus.
In a longstanding initiative, the government had offered cash rewards for information leading to the capture of fugitives involved in serious crimes, including murder, raids, dacoity, rape, and assault. These cases spanned multiple jurisdictions, including Surat. Capitalizing on this incentive, Surat police recently managed to arrest a man who had evaded capture for 23 years. The accused, once a resident of the Udhna area in Surat, had sought refuge in UP under the guise of a monk. A government reward of INR 45,000 had been announced for information leading to his capture.
Surat City Police had compiled a list of their top 15 most-wanted criminals and formed separate teams to hunt these individuals down. In 2001, a murder had occurred within the Udhna police station's jurisdiction. A reward of INR 45,000 was declared for information on the prime suspect in this homicide. Intelligence revealed that the accused had adopted a new identity and was residing in an ashram in Nand village, Mathura, UP, impersonating a monk.
Faced with the daunting task of identifying the accused among the hundreds of religious institutions in Mathura, the Surat police team adopted a unique strategy. Disguising themselves as sadhus, they conducted a two-day search operation across various ashrams. Eventually, they identified a man resembling the suspect in the Kunjkuti Ashram. Posing as devotees, the team successfully established the man's identity through careful inquiry and verification of personal data.
With confirmation that this man was indeed their long-elusive suspect, Padam alias Rakesh alias Padam Charan, son of Gauswahari alias Gaurangdas Panda, the team apprehended him.
Interrogation in Surat revealed the motive behind the crime. In 2001, the accused had rented a room in Udhna's Shantinagar area. He had developed a romantic relationship with a local woman, who also housed the victim, Vijay Sanchidas. Upon learning of Sanchidas' visits to the woman's house, the accused warned him to stay away. When Sanchidas ignored this warning, the accused, along with two accomplices, abducted and murdered him. They then disposed of the body in the bay before fleeing.
