On the run for 21 years, Delhi man arrested for murder he committed in 2001

In 2001, Kumar was a security guard at a security firm in south-east Delhi’s Okhla. Originally a farmer from Samastipur, Bihar, he joined the security company in 1995 and worked there for six years. During those six years, he joined a union of employees and was elected the vice-president of one of the unions

After living a life on the run for over two decades -- in various states and under different aliases -- a 47-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday for a murder he allegedly committed 21 years ago in the national capital, the Delhi Police said on Thursday.

The arrested suspect, Raj Kumar (Sourced)

Announcing his arrest, deputy commissioner of police (crime branch) Rajesh Deo said the suspect, Raj Kumar, was working as a taxi driver in Kolkata when he was arrested by the crime branch team on Tuesday (February 8). Police have found evidence of him having lived in states such as Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal since the murder in 2001.

“He shifted to Kolkata in December 2021 and was working as private taxi driver. No one there knew about his past,” said Deo.

Narrating the details of the case, Deo said in 2001, Kumar was a security guard at a security firm in south-east Delhi’s Okhla. Originally a farmer from Samastipur, Bihar, he joined the security company in 1995 and worked there for six years. During those six years, he joined a union of employees and was elected the vice-president of one of the unions.

Police said in the years that followed, they conducted several searches in Kumar’s home town of Samastipur but Kumar’s family members and friends denied having any knowledge of him.

DCP Deo said the breakthrough in the case came after one of his team members received a tip-off about Kumar living in Kolkata. A police team went there and around 8pm Tuesday, the police informer led them to Kumar in Arbindo Nagar area of Kolkata from where he was arrested.

“Kumar admitted to the crime. He told us that he came to Delhi in search of a job and joined Group 4 Security Task as a guard in 1995 and worked there for six years. He was also a member and vice-president of the labour union. The union later split into two, with one group favouring the company management. Kumar’s group was demanding an increase in wages/salary of guards. To resolve the issue, on March 12, 2001, both unions were called for a meeting with Group 4 officials. During that meeting, at Usha House in Okhla Industrial Area, Kumar along with the others assaulted the other union president Rajender Singh and guard Anil,” said Deo.

Kumar told police that after fleeing Delhi, he reached Bengaluru, where he changed his name and started working as a driver for an engineer. “He remained in Bengaluru till 2010. Later, he moved to Samastipur and started contract farming and did odd jobs. He used to change his residence frequently, and never disclosed his identity to anyone. He shifted to Kolkata in 2011 and started working as a private taxi driver. He returned to Samastipur in 2021 and again went back to Kolkata in December 2021,” the DCP said.