Delhi Police arrests 3 long-absconding proclaimed offenders

New Delhi, May 6 (PTI) The Delhi Police has arrested three long-absconding proclaimed offenders carrying cash rewards in separate heinous cases, including two under the POCSO Act and one attempt to murder case, after a multi-state operation spanning nearly 3,300 km across Bihar and Jharkhand, an official said on Wednesday.
    The accused -- carrying rewards of Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 each -- had been evading arrest for 12 to 21 years, he said.
    Police said the operation was launched as part of a strategic drive to apprehend proclaimed offenders and reward-carrying criminals involved in serious offences, particularly crimes against women and other pending cases.
    The arrested accused have been identified as Yudhishthir, wanted in a POCSO case registered at Rajouri Garden police station in 2014; Mohammad Akhlakh, wanted in another POCSO case registered at Ranhola police station in the same year; and Ram Kumar, wanted in an attempt to murder case registered at Uttam Nagar in 2005.
    Police said Yudhishthir, who allegedly sexually assaulted a minor girl in west Delhi in 2014, had been declared a proclaimed offender after absconding during the investigation. A reward of Rs 10,000 was declared for him in 2015.
     During the operation, a team from the crime branch reached Dumka in Jharkhand and learnt that the accused was working as a tempo driver. Team members allegedly disguised themselves as passengers and tempo drivers to track his movements before arresting him on May 2.
    "In the second case, Mohammad Akhlakh was wanted in a rape and POCSO case registered at Ranhola police station in 2014. He had fled to Kerala after the incident and rarely visited his native village in Bihar," the officer said.
     After obtaining leads that he had returned home due to his mother's illness, the team conducted a raid at his residence in Bihar. The accused allegedly escaped from the rooftop after sensing police presence, but was apprehended following a chase.
     The third accused, Ram Kumar, was wanted in an attempt to murder case dating back to 2005, in which he allegedly attacked a man with a knife over a monetary dispute.
     "Kumar had been living as a vegetable vendor in Bihar and frequently moved between villages to avoid detection. Team members posed as vegetable vendors before laying a trap and arresting him from Bhojpur on May 4," the officer said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)