Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, July 31: In a significant breakthrough, Mangaluru City police have apprehended two long-absconding accused in separate cases registered at the Mangaluru Women’s police station — one of whom had evaded arrest for nearly 14 years and another for seven.

Both accused had been declared absconders under Long Pending Case (LPC) warrants issued by the court. The arrests were made as part of a focused operation to track down and bring to justice individuals evading trial in sensitive cases, including those involving crimes against women.

Case 1: 14 years on the run in prostitution case

The first case dates back to March 14, 2011, when police raided Dhanyavad Lodge in Hampankatta, Mangaluru, based on credible information about ongoing prostitution.

The Mangaluru Women’s police station registered a case under Crime No. 04/2011 invoking Sections 3(2)(a), 5(d), 2, and 7 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.

Following the investigation, a charge sheet was filed against four individuals. While the court later acquitted the first three accused, the fourth accused — P Damodar, then approximately 40 years old, son of G. Gangadhar and a resident of Hoige Bazaar, Mangaluru — had gone underground and failed to appear in court. As a result, an LPC warrant was issued against him.

Under a renewed drive to track down absconding offenders, inspector Bhalkrishna of the Women’s police station and his team managed to trace Damodar after nearly 14 years. He was produced before the competent court, which has since remanded him to judicial custody.

Case 2: Domestic abuse accused arrested at Airport after 7 years

In the second case, dating to November 3, 2018, a woman filed a complaint alleging severe domestic violence and dowry harassment by her husband, Ubaidulla, aged 39 at the time and a resident of Little Flower Apartment, Kankanady, Mangaluru.

According to the complaint, the accused had subjected his wife to both mental and physical abuse, seized her gold ornaments given at the time of marriage, sold them off, and then left for a foreign country without informing her. He stopped all communication and, when contacted, allegedly responded with verbal abuse and threats.

The case was registered under Crime No. 54/2018, with charges under Sections 498(A) and 504 of the Indian Penal Code. As Ubaidulla remained untraceable, the court issued an LPC warrant against him.

On receiving a tip-off that the accused was flying into Kannur International Airport, Kerala, from abroad on July 29, the police acted swiftly. He was intercepted on arrival and taken into custody, before being presented before the court.

"These arrests underscore the Mangaluru City police’s determination to bring long-pending accused to justice, particularly in cases impacting women’s safety and dignity." Commissioner of police, Mangaluru city said.