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A 70-year-old man who had been absconding for over three decades following the alleged murder of his wife has been apprehended by Navi Mumbai police. The accused, identified as Babu Gudgiram Kale, was arrested on Sunday near Mulund, a suburb of Mumbai, after being on the run since the incident in 1991.
Kale had been evading authorities for 33 years, working as a labourer and flower seller in Mulund to sustain himself. The murder case dates back to January 28, 1991, when Kale allegedly murdered his wife during a domestic dispute. According to senior inspector Nitin Thackeray of Panvel Town police station, Kale is accused of dousing his wife with kerosene before setting her on fire in their home in Navi Mumbai's Panvel area. The woman, whose identity has not been disclosed, later succumbed to her burn injuries while receiving treatment at a local hospital.
Following the tragic incident, an FIR was filed against Kale under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to murder. A local court had issued an arrest warrant against him, but despite extensive efforts by law enforcement, he managed to remain at large for over three decades.
According to PTI reports, the police pursued numerous leads over the years, using intelligence and technical inputs to track the fugitive. Initial tips suggested that Kale was living in the Mulund area of Mumbai, but the trail later took investigators to Parbhani, a city in Maharashtra's Marathwada region. Police were able to track Kale's movements using his mobile phone data and surveillance, ultimately leading to his capture in Mulund.
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The arrest came as a surprise to Kale, who had been hiding for over three decades. After his apprehension, he was brought before a local magistrate and remanded in police custody until January 3, 2025, as per PTI reports.
The police have expressed satisfaction over the long-awaited arrest, noting that it marks the end of a decades-long manhunt for the fugitive. The authorities are now preparing to proceed with legal action against Kale as the case progresses in the courts.
(With inputs from PTI)
