Mumbai Crime: Sakinaka Police Arrest 57-Year-Old Absconding Accused After 27 Years In BEST Bus Assault Case

Mumbai Crime: Sakinaka Police Arrest 57-Year-Old Absconding Accused After 27 Years In BEST Bus Assault Case

Sakinaka Police arrested a 57-year-old man after 27 years for allegedly assaulting a BEST bus driver and damaging a bus during a road rage incident in 1998. The accused had been living in Virar East while hiding his identity.

Megha KuchikUpdated: Saturday, March 14, 2026, 06:23 AM IST
Mumbai Crime: Sakinaka Police Arrest 57-Year-Old Absconding Accused After 27 Years In BEST Bus Assault Case
Sakinaka Police arrest an absconding accused in the 1998 BEST bus driver assault case after tracking him down in Virar East | Representational Image

Mumbai, March 13: The Sakinaka Police have arrested an accused after 27 years for allegedly assaulting a BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) bus driver and absconding. The accused had allegedly hidden his identity and was living in Virar East.

He has been identified as Lavu Thakur, 57, an auto-rickshaw driver. The police arrested him after he was declared a proclaimed offender by the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

1998 road altercation led to assault

According to the police, the incident occurred on April 13, 1998. Thakur was allegedly driving his auto-rickshaw near the Sakinaka junction when he got into an altercation with a BEST bus driver over traffic.

He, along with his associates, allegedly pelted stones at the bus and broke its windows. They also physically assaulted the bus driver.

Accused had been absconding for years

At the time, the police had arrested one of his associates, but Thakur managed to escape. He was then residing in Ghatkopar West.

After the case was registered against him, Thakur fled to Virar, where he allegedly lived for several years while hiding his identity.

Following the court’s proclamation order, the police launched a search operation for him.

Arrest after surveillance in Virar

Under the supervision of Nitin Patil, Crime Police Inspector, a team including constables Nandkishor Sandav and Arvind Holkar visited his last known address. However, he was not found there.

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The police later traced him to Virar, where they kept him under surveillance for nearly seven days. After confirming his identity, the police arrested him. The police said Thakur was living in the MV Paradise Building in Virar East.

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