Now Reading: Crime Branch arrests 65-year-old in 1984 Delhi murder case after 42 years
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Crime Branch arrests 65-year-old in 1984 Delhi murder case after 42 years
Delhi Police's Crime Branch has arrested a 65-year-old man, Natthu, for a 1984 murder in Vikaspuri, more than four decades after he went absconding. The body of Ashok Kumar, a Sitapur resident,…
Delhi Police's Crime Branch has arrested a 65-year-old man, Natthu, for a 1984 murder in Vikaspuri, more than four decades after he went absconding. The body of Ashok Kumar, a Sitapur resident, was found with multiple knife wounds in District Park on May 23, 1984. The Times of India reports that co-accused Bhabhuti Prashad was arrested earlier, but Natthu evaded capture until August 18, when a team led by Inspector Sunil Kumar Kalkhande traced him near his village in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, as he travelled to Farrukhabad.
According to police, Natthu and Prashad were friends, and Ashok and Prashad were from the same village. The motive was that Ashok had allegedly made advances towards Prashad's wife. On the night of the murder, the three consumed liquor together in a park, and then Natthu and Prashad allegedly attacked and killed Ashok. The Deccan Herald adds that Natthu, also known as Natthulal, worked in wholesale vegetable markets across Uttar Pradesh during his years on the run, never married, and lived alone to maintain a low profile.
The Crime Branch team spent months in Sitapur and Hardoi to trace Natthu, using old case files and field verification. He was arrested after 42 years and is now in police custody.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both sources report the arrest as a routine police success with no critical or sensational framing. The Times of India leads with the Crime Branch's achievement, naming the special CP and DCP, while Deccan Herald uses a PTI wire copy that is more concise but carries the same neutral tone. Neither source questions the long delay or the investigation methods. The story is a straightforward cold-case closure, and the coverage reflects that. The key takeaway is the persistence of the police team and the fact that the accused spent 42 years evading capture by living a quiet, low-profile life. What remains to be seen is whether the court will accept the evidence after such a long gap.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), deccanherald.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
