Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Twelve days after the murder of retired IAS officer Rakesh Agarwal, the police are still clueless about the whereabouts of the prime suspect and his caretaker Varun Kumar.
Several police teams deployed across four states have reportedly returned empty-handed, and police are now relying mainly on getting information about his whereabouts through social media.
The CCTV footage from Bhopal railway station had captured his movements at 3.51 am on September 30. Police are matching the footage with his travel records to identify his escape route.
Police officials had earlier claimed that more than a dozen teams were searching for Varun in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi.
After questioning his relatives, friends and more than 100 other people, investigators are now focusing on circulating his photographs widely and putting up posters at potential locations.
Varun's father lives in Gwalior, his sister in Patiala, while friends are in Agra and Mathura. Police have questioned them several times to establish whether anyone helped him escape. They continue to remain under police surveillance.
Agarwal was murdered at his residence in Suraj Nagar under Ratibadh police station limits on September 30.
His body was found lying on the bed with sharp-edged weapon injuries on his neck. The locks of the almirah were found broken, while the LPG cylinder pipe in the kitchen had been disconnected.
Investigators initially traced Varun's movements to Bina railway station and later to Agra after he allegedly switched on the retired officer's stolen mobile phone. His last location was Vrindavan, after which he disappeared.
More than 80 posters have reportedly been put up along the Agra-Vrindavan route. Ratibadh police station in-charge Rasbihari Sharma said several teams were continuing the search, conducting raids and putting up posters at various locations.
