In a major breakthrough in a 17-year-old murder-robbery case, the Surat Prevention of Crime Branch (PCB) arrested a 37-year-old man from Ahmedabad. The accused had been evading capture for nearly two decades by moving from state to state.
Details of the Arrest
The accused, identified as Nagendra Saroj, a native of Pratapgarh district in Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended from a transport company premises in the Sanathal area of Ahmedabad. Acting on a tip-off, a team of Surat PCB officials conducted a raid and arrested him. He had been absconding since 2009, prompting the Bhavnagar district superintendent of police to announce a reward of Rs 10,000 for information leading to his capture.
The Crime
According to investigators, Saroj, along with his associates Mohammad Irshad and Pradip Sonu, committed a robbery near Dharti Hotel in the Velavadar police station jurisdiction of Bhavnagar district in 2009. The trio allegedly robbed a truck driver of Rs 1.20 lakh. When the driver resisted, they beat him to death with steel rods.
Evasion Tactics
After the crime, Saroj frequently changed his location and stayed in different states to avoid arrest. He spent years moving across India, constantly shifting his hideouts to evade law enforcement. Despite the passage of time, the police continued their efforts to track him down.
The arrest marks a significant achievement for the Surat PCB, which has been working tirelessly to solve cold cases. The accused will now be handed over to the Bhavnagar police for further legal proceedings.
