Absconding for 21 years, murder accused held in Panvel

The accused, Manoj Ashok Pandav, was arrested on Monday. Police said he had worked across states such as Odisha and Gujarat while evading arrest and had even purchased a house in Panvel four years ago. The case dates back to April 2005, when Prasad Ganesh Thakur, 34, was hacked to death with sharp weapons while returning home on a motorcycle near Vadvali village in Alibaug

NAVI MUMBAI: In a major breakthrough, Raigad police have arrested a 41-year-old man who had been on the run for 21 years in a 2005 murder case, tracking him down to Panvel after sustained technical surveillance.

Absconding for 21 years, murder accused held in Panvel

The accused, Manoj Ashok Pandav, was arrested on Monday. Police said he had worked across states such as Odisha and Gujarat while evading arrest and had even purchased a house in Panvel four years ago.

“Despite multiple efforts over the years, the accused managed to evade arrest. Recently, with technical analysis and tracking, we zeroed in on his location in Panvel,” said Assistant Police Inspector Sujit Gadde of Poynad Police Station.

The case dates back to April 2005, when Prasad Ganesh Thakur, 34, was hacked to death with sharp weapons while returning home on a motorcycle near Vadvali village in Alibaug.

Police said the murder was driven by a long-standing grudge, the accused suspected Thakur of killing his goat years earlier, which led to a court case and deep enmity.

Pandav allegedly intercepted Thakur on a secluded road and attacked him multiple times, killing him on the spot.

While a co-accused, Jayprakash alias Jayesh Jagannath Mhatre, was arrested after the incident, Pandav had allegedly remained absconding, frequently changing locations and concealing his identity.

Pandav had allegedly confessed during interrogation and has been remanded to police custody until March 20, police said.