HC pats T.N. police for arresting and airlifting a fugitive criminal from Assam

The Madras High Court on Thursday appreciated Tamil Nadu Police for having arrested a fugitive criminal, wished in a 24-year-old homicide case, from Assam regardless of a number of odds and airlifting him to Chennai on Wednesday.

Justice P.N. Prakash recommended the four-member police staff which flew to Assam to nab the absconding accused, who had jumped bail, for its ‘splendid work’ and ordered that the commendation be entered of their service data.

The choose additionally steered that Director General of Police J.K. Tripathy may tackle the federal government recommending grant of appropriate award to the staff members. He mentioned now it was as much as the judiciary to be sure that the accused faces trial.

The situation dates again to July 6, 1996, when the then Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable Atul Chandra Das was arrested by the Railway Police for capturing his co-passenger Raja, following a wordy duel, in a shifting practice between Egathur and Kadambathur in Tiruvallur district.

However, the accused obtained bail and absconded leaving the homicide case to rot for the final 24 years. The situation got here to gentle lately when Justice Prakash started listening to a petition filed by CRPF looking for return of the weapons seized by the police in 1996.

The choose instantly directed the DGP to depute a staff to Assam. Acting swiftly, the DGP established contact along with his counterpart in Assam and traced the whereabouts of Das who was working as Security Officer within the University of Meghalaya.

Initially a three-member staff, comprising Sub Inspector A. Siva, Special Sub Inspector K. Sarathy and Head Constable K. Nagendran have been flown to Assam to nab the accused. The CRPF offered lodging and conveyance services.

On coming to know that the Tamil Nadu police was monitoring him, Das fled to Dhemaji district in Assam and remained in hiding. However, Cyber Crime cell Head Constable L. Palani traced him down utilizing the cell phone tower sign and handed on the message to the staff in Assam.

Thereafter, Deputy Superintendent of Police S.K. Duraipandian was flown to Assam to coordinate the operation and the staff efficiently nabbed the accused at his relative’s home in Thanganappara village in Dhemaji district, about 600km from Guwahati.

When the villagers gheraoed the Tamil Nadu police staff and refused to let it arrest Das, armed policemen from Assam got here to their help in arresting him and acquiring a transit warrant from a Chief Judicial Magistrate in Dhemaji.

Fearing that the accused could flee if he was introduced by practice, the police airlifted him with the help of Sanjay Sharma, Regional Director, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security in Guwahati. Even on the Dibrugarh airport, the accused created a ruckus and refused to board the flight forcing the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to intervene.

Recording his deep sense of appreciation for all those that had assisted the Tamil Nadu police in nabbing the accused, the choose mentioned the police had performed their position nicely and the CRPF had executed their process with aplomb.