Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Nov 19: A man who had been absconding for nearly 19 years in connection with the 2006 Surathkal murder case has been arrested by Bajpe police on November 18 evening.

On December 1, 2006, Sukhanand Shetty was murdered near Hosabettu within the Surathkal police station limits, allegedly by Kabir and his associates, who later went into hiding. Police said Kabir was given shelter for two days by his brothers, Latif alias Addur Latif and Abdul Salam Addur, at their house in Addur Tibet Colony. The two allegedly helped him evade arrest and later dropped him near Kasargod, from where he escaped.

Abdul Salam, now 47, had left the country three months after the crime and had been absconding ever since, despite a charge sheet being filed. He had not appeared before the court for almost 19 years.

Police gathered credible information that Abdul Salam had recently returned to the region. Acting on the tip-off, a team from Bajpe police took him into custody at Kinnipadavu around 8 pm on November 18 and brought him to the station. He had reportedly obtained a passport in 2007 and lived abroad for several years before returning and shifting to a rented house in Kinnipadavu after demolishing his Addur residence. His brother Latif remains abroad and is still absconding.

According to police, 16 accused in the case have been arrested earlier, while 11 others continue to evade arrest. Abdul Salam also faces a case of attempted murder registered at Bajpe police station, and a rowdy sheet has been opened against him. The court had issued multiple warrants against him over the years.

Since he had failed to appear before the court for nearly two decades, Bajpe police will book him under Section 209 of BNS and produce him before court.

The arrest was made under the guidance of ACP (North subdivision) Srikant K, by police inspector Pramod Kumar P, PSI Raghu Nayak, and staff members Annappa, Ajith Mathew, Rajendra Prasad, Vinod Naik, and Sunil Kusanale.