Fugitive in 1986 Acid Attack Case Held After 37 Years
Convict lived as ‘sadhu’ in Madhya Pradesh; arrested using advanced surveillance tools
- Man convicted in 1986 acid attack arrested after absconding for 37 years.
- Rajesh alias Raju lived disguised as a monk at a Shivpuri religious premises.
- Police used fingerprint databases and specialised surveillance tools to trace him.
- He has been sent to judicial custody after arrest.
GG News Bureau
Bhopal, 13th Dec: A man convicted in a 1986 acid attack case and missing for nearly four decades has been arrested from Madhya Pradesh, where he had been living under the guise of a ‘sadhu’, police said on Friday. Rajesh alias Raju, who jumped bail 37 years ago, was traced to the Gayatri Shaktipith in Shivpuri district and taken into custody.
Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi told PTI that the long-absconding convict had managed to evade authorities since he was granted bail following his conviction in 1988. Despite repeated court notices, he never appeared again, prompting the issuance of a warrant.
The case dates back to August 1986, when complainants Gangadeen, a cashier, and Om Prakash Rastogi were travelling to their jewellery shop in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district. Rajesh intercepted them, assaulted them, snatched a bottle of acid they were carrying for cleaning ornaments and hurled it at them, leaving both men grievously injured.
He was booked under IPC sections 326 (grievous hurt using corrosive substance) and 307 (attempt to murder) and was sentenced to life imprisonment, along with a seven-year term for attempt to murder, on May 30, 1988.
Police said Rajesh spent decades evading arrest by frequently shifting between religious sites in neighbouring states, staying only a few months at each location. He eventually settled at the Shivpuri ashram, adopting the appearance and lifestyle of a monk.
According to SP Dwivedi, the breakthrough came through specialised digital surveillance tools and fingerprint matching via the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS), enabling police to confirm his identity.
The fugitive has been produced before court and sent to judicial custody, bringing an end to a 37-year manhunt.
