Kolar, 17 April
In a rare breakthrough, Gulpet police have arrested a man who had been evading arrest for 27 years in a neighbourhood dispute turned violent in Kolar’s Fort area.

The case dates back to 16 October, 1998, when Nazeer Ahmed filed a complaint against his neighbour, Pyare Jan, accusing him of damaging a portion of his wall, breaking tap connections, and physically assaulting him. Following the complaint, Pyare Jan fled the area, and despite police efforts at the time, he remained untraceable for decades.

Recently, Kolar Superintendent of Police B Nikhil instructed officials to revisit long-pending cases. Acting on these orders, Sub-Inspector Vittal Thalvar directed Constable Manjunath to reopen the 1998 case.

Manjunath, familiar with the Fort area and its residents, began tracking leads and discovered that Pyare Jan had migrated to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Further enquiries revealed he occasionally visited relatives in Rahamathnagar, Kolar.

Using this information, Manjunath tracked Pyare Jan to Palamaner in Andhra Pradesh and apprehended him on Wednesday. During interrogation, the accused claimed he believed the case had been closed due to its age. “Some people told me that the police wouldn’t pursue such an old case,” he reportedly said.