Murder accused on the run for 44 years nabbed

Kota: After yearlong efforts, Bundi city police on Sunday arrested a 59-year-old man facing a murder charge and on the run for 44 years. The man was arrested in Delhi where he had been leading a family life.Suresh Yadav alias Kalu, a native of Manji Sahab Ka Kund area in Bundi city, was produced before a court in the city on Monday and sent to judicial custody, said Sahadev Meena, the circle officer of Bundi city police station, who led the team that arrested him.Yadav faces charges of the murder of a man who was allegedly having an illicit relationship with his mother. Hurt by the taunts of neighbours, a 15-year-old Yadav had allegedly attacked his mother’s paramour with a knife on August 22, 1979, causing him fatal injuries that led to his death two days later during treatment. Yadav fled to Delhi soon after the murder and was never arrested since, said Meena.“The accused was found living with his family—wife and children—in his own house in Delhi. He owned a welding shop,” said Meena.It was a special police team formed on the directions of Bundi SP Jai Yadav to trace and nab criminals absconding for years that succeeded in arresting Yadav after a yearlong exercise. Policemen keeping a watch over his house in Bundi city for months learnt that Yadav was in contact with his nephew (sister’s son), who frequently visited Delhi to purchase business material.“Mobile phone numbers of the family were traced for verification. In the initial inquiry, Yadav’s nephew tried to mislead police, but admitted upon strict interrogation that his uncle lived in Delhi,” said a police officer.The man Yadav allegedly attacked and killed in August 1979 was identified as Shankar Lal, a resident of Bundi city. The attack led to a case under Section 307 registered against Yadav, and Section 302 of IPC was added when Lal died two days later. “During interrogation, Yadav admitted to having murdered Lal out of anger over his relationship with his mother and taunts by neighbours. He also said he had spotted the two in a compromising position,” said Meena.