Hans News Service Bhubaneswar

Nearlythree decades after he escaped from police custody in handcuffs, a murder accused was arrested by Odisha Police, officials said on Friday. The accused, identified as Nilamani Mahanand, was wanted in connection with a murder case registered under various sections of the IPC, including Section 302 (murder), the State police headquarters said. Police said Mahanand allegedly assumed a false identity after escaping, changed his name to Raju Gonda and settled in Raigarh district of neighbouring Chhattisgarh. He had also obtained Aadhaar and PAN cards under the assumed name to evade arrest.

In October 1998, Mahanand and others allegedly killed Duryodhan Deep in Bhundupali village of Jharsuguda district over a previous enmity. “While in transit in 1998, Mahanand managed to escape from a police station while still in handcuffs. He remained untraceable since his escape,” a police official said.

Acting on intelligence inputs, sustained surveillance and verification, Jharsuguda Police traced and arrested the accused after 28 years, the statement said. Mahanand was produced before a competent court for further legal proceedings, police said, adding that the arrest brought an end to a long-running manhunt.