Kendrapada: Ending a 32-year-long manhunt, police on Friday night arrested a fugitive accused in a 1994 murder case, tracing him to a secret underground chamber inside his house in Jajpur district.
Details of the Crime
The accused, Rabindra Mallick, 58, a resident of Nuahat village under Kuakhia police limits, allegedly killed his 27-year-old cousin Paramananda Mallick with an axe on October 21, 1994. At the time of the crime, Mallick was 26 years old. Following the incident, he was declared an absconder by a local court and had successfully evaded arrest for 32 years by frequently changing his locations and identities.
Evasion Tactics
Police investigations revealed that Mallick procured Aadhaar and voter ID cards under a false identity, posing as a resident of Adamapur village. He worked as a mason in Hyderabad, Kerala, and other places while maintaining contact with his family members. His ability to blend in and assume different identities allowed him to remain undetected for over three decades.
The Arrest
Acting on a tip-off, police apprehended Mallick from a hidden underground bunker in his house when he returned to the village to attend a family function. Susanta Kumar Sethi, Inspector-in-Charge of Kuakhia police station, stated, "We nabbed him from a secret underground chamber he had built to evade arrest." The bunker was concealed within his residence, making it difficult for authorities to locate him.
Personal Life and Legal Proceedings
Mallick married Manjulata in 1998 during his years in hiding. After his arrest, he was produced before a local court on Saturday. His bail plea was rejected, and he was remanded in judicial custody, police confirmed.
This arrest marks the end of a prolonged evasion that spanned over three decades, highlighting the persistence of law enforcement in bringing fugitives to justice.
