Berhampur: A man, accused of murdering his mother-in-law in Chennai way back in 1995, has been arrested from Odisha’s Ganjam district after absconding for 28 years.
The accused, identified as Harihara Pattjoshi of Berhampur, was arrested by a team of Chennai police with the help of Berhampur police while he was trying to escape.
As per reports, Pattjoshi had migrated to Chennai in early 1990s when he was 23 and found work at a printing press in an advertisement company there.
He reportedly met Indira, then 21, during work related assignment and both fell in love. Their marriage was solemnised on July 14, 1994. However, after a few months they separated following domestic disputes and Indira filed for divorce petition in local court which enraged Pattjoshi.
He allegedly attacked his wife, mother-in-law identified as Rama, 48, and brother-in-law Karthik, 24, at their Nanganallur residence in Chennai on August 9, 1995. While his mother-in-law died, both Indira and Karthik sustained grievous injuries in the attack.
Following the incident, Chennai police had launched an investigation after registration of a murder case at S8 Adambakkam police station. However, Pattjoshi managed to escape from Chennai and absconded.
Multiple police teams have camped and conducted raids at Berhampur and nearby places over the last 28 years but the man could not be arrested.
Since 1995, the accused had been hiding in various locations throughout Odisha and also in Surat, Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M was quoted by media as saying. He had shifted many houses during the past 28 years. The accused was staying with his wife and a daughter from his second marriage.
A week ago, a four-member police team from Adambakkam police station reached Gosaninuagaon following a tip-off and sought assistance for Berhampur police, which immediately provided a 11-member police team to arrest Pattjoshi.
After one week of search, police teams were able to trace the accused hiding in a location under Gosaninuagaon police station area. He was apprehended while he was trying to escape again near the railway station, police said.
