Breakthrough in the murder case of two police personnel in Agra came 27 years later for the city’s police, after they managed to nab the key accused from Madhya Pradesh’s capital Bhopal on Sunday. In a plot reminiscent of a Bollywood movie, the accused had faked his death, and had been living in Bhopal under a false identity.

The accused, identified as Bhura, had been on the run for 27 years and carried a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his arrest. After the Uttar Pradesh Police leveraged a combination of human intelligence and technical surveillance, they swooped down on him from Bhopal, officials said.

Case unfolded in 1999

Officials aware of the case said the incident dates back to 1999, when Bhura and several of his aides were attempting to rob a bank in Agra, but the police arrived in time. While escaping, Bhura killed two cops and fled the city to evade arrest for decades.

As per investigating police personnel, Bhura allegedly took refuge in forested area and later relocated to the Itarsi town in MP, where he worked as a daily wage labourer. He later moved to Bhopal, found employment in the construction sector and eventually ended up working as a truck driver.

Accused changes name to Jameel

During the time of evasion, he adopted the name Jameel, married and started a family, all while concealing his true identity. Police said he went to extraordinary lengths to avoid detection, such as manipulation of official records to prove himself dead and deliberately severing all ties with his birth family and kin, ensuring that no one would suspect he was still alive.

How did the cops achieve breakthrough?

Agra Police achieved a breakthrough after a former aide of Bhura, who had recently been released from prison, attended a social gathering, where he met the fugitive’s brother-in-law. During the interaction, his former aide told his brother-in-law that he had spoken to Bhura two years ago.

The lead reached Agra Police, prompting the cops to revive the long-dormant probe. They activated a network of whistleblowers, besides deploying technical surveillance to trace the fugitive’s movements. After pursuing multiple leads over several days, police laid a trap in Bhopal and laid hands on him.

Cops probing years Bhura spent underground

Police officials said initially Bhura attempted to mislead cops by maintaining that he was Jameel. However, during sustained interrogation, he confessed to his real identity. The police are now examining the activities he undertook during the 27 years he remained absconding, including the people who may have sheltered or assisted him, and whether other persons were involved in helping him evade arrest.