New Delhi/Hardoi: A 65-year-old man who had remained at large for more than four decades in connection with a fatal stabbing in west Delhi in 1984 was taken into custody by the Uttar Pradesh Crime Branch this week, officials said.
Arrest ends decades-long evasion
Police identified the arrested person as Natthu, alias Natthulal, a resident of Hardoi district. The Crime Branch apprehended him on August 18 while he was travelling from his native village to Farrukhabad, according to a statement reported by PTI.
The case pertains to the killing of Ashok Kumar, whose body with multiple knife wounds was discovered in a park in Vikaspuri on the night of May 23, 1984, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) HGS Dhaliwal said, PTI reported.
"The case relates to the murder of one Ashok Kumar, whose body bearing multiple knife injuries was recovered from a park in Vikaspuri during the night of May 23, 1984," the officer said, according to PTI.
How investigators traced the accused
Police said another man, Bhabhuti Prashad of Sitapur, had earlier been arrested in connection with the killing and that a knife allegedly used in the crime had been recovered at that time. Natthu, however, eluded capture and remained untraced for over 42 years.
The Crime Branch assembled a dedicated team that reviewed archival case records, carried out field verification across Sitapur and Hardoi districts and pieced together the accused's movements and likely hideouts, PTI reported. During checks in the Pali area of Hardoi, officers learnt that Natthu occasionally returned to his native village.
- Months of review of old case files and local enquiries.
- Field verification in Sitapur and Hardoi to establish identity and movements.
- Surveillance after a person matching the description was seen on August 17.
- Apprehension near the village on August 18 following targeted tracing.
The Crime Branch said it mounted surveillance after spotting a person resembling Natthu in the village on August 17, and arrested him when intelligence located him the next day.
Alleged motive and links
According to the police account cited by PTI, the killing was allegedly precipitated by a dispute after Ashok Kumar made sexual advances towards Prashad's wife. The Crime Branch said Natthu and Prashad were acquaintances, while the deceased and Prashad belonged to the same village.
"On the night of the incident, Natthu and Prashad allegedly consumed liquor together at a park and subsequently killed Kumar in furtherance of their common intention," the officer said, PTI reported.
While evading arrest, police said Natthu worked at wholesale vegetable markets across Uttar Pradesh, keeping a low profile. Authorities added that he never married, lived alone and had been named in a separate FIR lodged in Farrukhabad in 2005.
Local and procedural implications
The arrest illustrates several features of long-running investigations in the region: reliance on painstaking archival work, local human intelligence, and coordination between city and state police units. Bringing a decades-old homicide file to resolution has procedural consequences for evidence preservation, witness availability and charge-sheet preparation.
Police will now complete necessary legal formalities to transfer the accused to the jurisdiction of the Janakpuri police station in Delhi where the case was originally lodged, PTI reported. The prosecution will need to revisit original witness statements and forensic material, some of which may be archived or degraded with time.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 23 May 1984 | Body of Ashok Kumar recovered from a park in Vikaspuri, west Delhi |
| 1980s (post-incident) | Bhabhuti Prashad of Sitapur arrested; knife allegedly used in crime recovered |
| 2005 | Natthu named in a separate FIR in Farrukhabad |
| Aug 17, 2026 | Individual matching Natthu's description sighted in his village; surveillance mounted |
| Aug 18, 2026 | Natthu arrested by UP Crime Branch while travelling to Farrukhabad |
Investigating agencies in recent years have placed renewed emphasis on resolving cold cases, both to provide closure to families and to uphold public confidence in policing institutions. An arrest in a high-profile old case often triggers procedural reviews and may prompt further enquires if new evidence or witnesses come forward.
The Crime Branch statement, as reported by PTI, did not disclose whether the arrested man made any confession or provided details about his movements during the intervening decades. Further updates are expected as Delhi police take custody and proceed with legal steps in the Janakpuri matter.
PTI reported the developments from New Delhi and details provided by the Crime Branch were cited in the account of the arrest.
