New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) A 65-year-old man on the run for over four decades and wanted for a 1984 murder in Delhi has been arrested by the Crime Branch in Uttar Pradesh, police said on Saturday.
Police said they arrested Natthu, alias Natthulal, a Hardoi resident, on August 18 when he was travelling from his village to Farrukhabad, ending his more than 42 years of evading police in the case registered at the Janakpuri police station.
“The case relates to the murder of one Ashok Kumar, whose body bearing multiple knife injuries was recovered from a park in Vikaspuri during the night of May 23, 1984,” Special Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) HGS Dhaliwal said.
After the killing, police established Bhabhuti Prashad, also from Sitapur, was involved. They arrested him and recovered the knife allegedly used in the crime. Police said Natthu, however, evaded arrest and remained untraced for more than four decades.
The Crime Branch took up the task of locating him, formed a team, and spent several months examining old case records and conducting field verification in Sitapur and Hardoi districts to establish the accused’s identity, movements, and whereabouts, the officer said.
During verification in the Pali area of Hardoi, officers learnt that Natthu was alive and occasionally visited his native village. On August 17, a person matching his description was spotted in the village, following which surveillance was mounted. Acting on intelligence, the team traced him near his village and apprehended him.
According to police, Natthu and Prashad were friends, while the deceased and Prashad belonged to the same village. Police said the murder was allegedly triggered by a dispute after Kumar made sexual overtures towards Prashad’s wife.
“On the night of the incident, Natthu and Prashad allegedly consumed liquor together at a park and subsequently killed Kumar in furtherance of their common intention,” the officer said.
Police said while on the run, Natthu worked at wholesale vegetable markets at different locations in Uttar Pradesh and maintained a low profile. He never married and lived alone.
Police said he had also been named in an FIR registered in Farrukhabad in 2005. Further investigation is underway. PTI BM ASD ASD
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