Navi Mumbai: A fugitive hailing from Uttar Pradesh, who had a staggering 33 recorded criminal offenses to his name, has finally been traced and arrested in a joint operation conducted by Navi Mumbai Police and the Special Task Force (STF) Varanasi Unit. Panvel City police confirmed the arrest.
Senior Police Inspector Nitin Thackeray of the Panvel City police station revealed that the Uttar Pradesh Police had placed a hefty bounty of ₹50,000 on his head.
Accused is a noted history sheeter
The police official elaborated on the nature of the cases against the apprehended individual. His charges include three gangster act cases, three double murders with dacoities, three dacoities, and seven attempts to murder, with multiple offenses registered against him across various police stations in Uttar Pradesh.
The arrested criminal has been identified as Haris, also known as Chotu Abdul Ajij, 23, hailing from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. Most of the registered offenses were from police stations in Phulpur, Sarampeer, Cholapur, Nizamabad, Katka, Tanda, Mahuva, among others.
The Uttar Pradesh Police received a tip-off suggesting that the fugitive was hiding in Panvel. Subsequently, the Special Task Force (STF) arrived in Panvel and sought the cooperation of their counterparts in Panvel.
A dedicated team from the Panvel police was formed to track down the wanted individual. Deputy Superintendent of the STF, Shailendra Singh, joined forces with Panvel's team of officials. Eventually, the fugitive was located and apprehended in Panvel.
Accused went into hiding in Panvel
According to the police, the accused, who had evaded arrest after escaping from Uttar Pradesh, had been residing in Panvel for the past two months. He had been operating as an Ola/Uber driver under his brother's and others' names, despite lacking the necessary licenses or permits to operate a vehicle.
Police Officer Thackeray emphasised that the capture of this criminal was a significant achievement. His arrest potentially prevented harm to passengers, especially women and families who often travel late at night using Ola/Uber services.
Throughout the investigation, the police relied on intelligence and technical resources, which ultimately led them to the apprehension of the criminal. He has since been handed over to the Uttar Pradesh Police.
