Delhi crime branch arrests murder accused after 42 yrs
New Delhi: In a significant breakthrough, the Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested a 65-year-old man who had been absconding for more than four decades in connection with a murder case registered at Janakpuri police station in 1984.
The accused, identified as Natthu alias Natthulal, a resident of Hardoi district in Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended by the Central Range of the Crime Branch after sustained efforts spanning several months, police said on Saturday.
According to the police, the case was registered under FIR No. 252/1984 dated May 23, 1984, under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The arrest brings an end to the accused’s alleged evasion of law enforcement for more than 42 years.
The case dates back to the intervening night of May 22 and 23, 1984, when the body of a man bearing multiple knife injuries was recovered from District Park in Vikaspuri, West Delhi. The deceased was later identified as Ashok Kumar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district.
During the initial investigation, police found the alleged involvement of Bhabhuti Prashad, also a resident of Sitapur. He was subsequently arrested, and the knife allegedly used in the commission of the crime was recovered. However, his co-accused, Natthu alias Natthulal, managed to evade arrest and remained absconding for decades.
Police said the passage of more than four decades and the limited information available in the old case records made tracing the accused a challenging task. The Crime Branch, however, took up the pending arrest as a special challenge and constituted a dedicated team to locate him.
The operation was led by Inspector Sunil Kumar Kalkhande and included SI Devender Antil and Head Constables Vijay Singh Yadav, Samander, Jai Singh, Parveen Kumar, Rahul, Vinod, Ankit and Anoop. The team worked under the close supervision of ACP Central Range Satendra Mohan and under the overall guidance of DCP Crime Branch Aditya Gautam.
Police said investigators revisited old case files and developed fresh intelligence through extensive field verification. The team spent months in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur and Hardoi districts, tracking the accused’s identity and movements. During verification in Pali village, Hardoi, police confirmed that Natthu was alive and occasionally visited his native village.
After receiving information that a person matching his description had been seen there on August 17, surveillance was intensified. On August 18, police traced and arrested Natthu near his village while he was travelling towards Farrukhabad.
According to investigators, Natthu and co-accused Bhabhuti Prashad were friends. Police alleged the deceased, Ashok Kumar, had made illicit advances towards Bhabhuti’s wife, triggering the dispute. The accused allegedly consumed liquor with Ashok before murdering him.
Natthu reportedly worked in wholesale vegetable markets across Uttar Pradesh while evading arrest. He was also previously booked in a 2005 kidnapping case in Farrukhabad.