Post by : Maya Rahman

A convict sentenced to life for a 1986 acid attack has been arrested after evading the law for nearly four decades. Identified as Rajesh, also known as Raju, he was found in Madhya Pradesh, leading a life under a false persona as a sadhu, according to police reports on Friday.

Police tracked Rajesh to the Gayatri Shaktipith in Shivpuri district. He had vanished following his 1988 bail release after being convicted and failed to return to court, resulting in a long-standing arrest warrant that he managed to evade for years.

The incident traces back to August 1986 in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Two individuals, Gangadeen and Om Prakash Rastogi, were on their way to their jewellery shop carrying a bottle of cleaning acid when Rajesh reportedly assaulted them, severely injuring them by throwing acid.

He was found guilty of grievous harm and attempted murder, receiving a life sentence along with an additional seven years. However, he fled shortly after being released on bail.

Authorities stated that Rajesh evaded capture by frequently moving between religious sites, often staying brief periods at various places. He finally settled in Shivpuri, masquerading as a monk. His eventual arrest was made possible through modern surveillance techniques, including fingerprint verification via the NAFIS system. He has now been remanded to judicial custody.

#Global News