Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Aug 7: Shahnawaz alias Shanu, a long-absconding accused in a 2014 murder and robbery case under Surathkal police station limits, has been arrested.
The case, registered under Crime No. 44/2014 of Surathkal police station, was booked under IPC sections 120(B), 449, 392, 302, and 34. On February 8, 2014, between 4 pm and 8 pm, Sumathi Prabhu, a resident near 'Kala' in Kordabbu, Hosabettu, Kulai, was murdered by slitting her throat. Her gold ornaments weighing 192 grams (24 sovereigns), worth around Rs 3.8 lac, were looted. Following a complaint by her son Gurudas Prabhu, the Surathkal police registered the case.
During the investigation, three accused, Shivaram, resident of Kapoormalak, Dattak Bhed, Bhayan Taluk, Bharatpur District, Rajasthan; Bahaddur Singh alias Bahaddur alias Buyya, resident of the same address as Shivaram; and Shahnawaz alias Shanu, resident of Rampur Theg, Mandinpur, Amarth District, Uttar Pradesh, were identified and chargesheeted.
All three were arrested and produced before court. After completing the investigation, a chargesheet was filed on July 17, 2014. The trial is ongoing in the II additional district and sessions court under SC No. 80/2014 and 105/2024.
The accused were granted bail during the trial but later went absconding, failing to appear before court. The court issued arrest warrants against them.
On March 3, 2025, Surathkal police, including HC 655 Ajith Mathu, HC 473 Ravi D, and CPC 2475 Sunil, arrested accused Shivaram in Rajasthan and produced him before the court, where he remains in judicial custody.
For nearly four years, the other two accused remained elusive. However, after sustained efforts, the police traced Shahnawaz alias Shanu to Karad in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. He was arrested on August 4, 2025 and produced before the II JMFC court in Bhopal. After securing a transit warrant, he was brought to Surathkal police station on Wednesday August 6 and was produced before the court on Thursday.
The arrest was carried out under the guidance of Surathkal police inspector by head constables Ajith Mathu and Ravi D, and police constable Sunil Kusanal.