13 yrs on, double murder accused held after 20,000-km chase across 7 states

After a chase of over 20,000 kms across seven states, a man wanted in a double murder case in Southeast Delhi was arrested after being on the run for 13 years, the police said on Wednesday.

The accused, identified as Lalan Kumar, alias Lalanwa (33), a native of Madhepura in Bihar, was the key conspirator behind the murder of a truck driver and his helper in 2012, they added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said the accused carried a bounty of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest and was also declared a proclaimed offender by a Delhi court in December 2012.

The cop added that a team from Shaheen Bagh police station was chasing him ever since the crime took place.

“Our officers traveled more than 20,000 kms across Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand in search of the absconding person. Over 500 call detail records were analysed and nearly 1,000 people were questioned during the manhunt,” Tiwari added.

He said the team developed sources in several states, monitored Kumar’s relatives and associates, and examined every possible lead. Consistent surveillance in his native place Madhepura finally yielded information about his presence there. A raid was carried out in Shankarpur on September 4 and the accused was apprehended.

During interrogation, Kumar admitted that he had been living under different identities across Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand since 2012.

The cop also mentioned that the accused avoided mobile phones and social media and frequently changed his appearance to evade arrest. To sustain himself, he worked as a labourer while staying away from his native village for long period.

The incident dates back to June 31, 2012, when a case was registered at the Pul Prahladpur police station on the complaint of Ram Gupta regarding the abduction of truck driver Shamim and helper Shera. The complainant’s vehicle was also missing.

During investigation, the bodies of the driver and helper were found in Palwal, Haryana, and Mathura UP, respectively. Later, the truck was recovered from Prayagraj, UP.

During further probe, two persons - Sunil and Shatrughan - were arrested. Kumar was absconding since then.