Beed: In a major breakthrough, Ambhora Police have arrested Babu Subramanyam Kambalat, who had been absconding for nearly a decade in connection with an attempt-to-murder case registered in 2016.
Kambalat, a district unit chief of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) in Ahilyanagar, was the main accused in a violent assault on a labourer in Savargaon (Mayamba) village in Ashti tehsil. Despite being on the run, police said he continued to remain politically active over the years.
According to officials, the case dates back to 2016, when a dispute over salary payments at a wind energy project turned violent. The victim, Anil Prabhakar Mhaske, was allegedly attacked by Kambalat along with a group of around 12 associates. He sustained serious injuries in the assault.
A case of attempt to murder was registered at Ambhora Police Station against all the accused. Police had earlier arrested the other 11 suspects, but they were later acquitted by a court due to a lack of evidence. Kambalat, however, managed to evade arrest for several years.
Acting on specific intelligence, Ambhora Police tracked his movement and laid a trap on Tuesday. He was successfully apprehended and taken into custody.
Kambalat was produced before a court in Ashti, which remanded him to two days of police custody, citing the seriousness of the offence and his past record.
Police officials said the arrest sends a strong message to absconding accused persons. They added that efforts are being intensified to track down other long-pending fugitives across the district.
