Murder accused, on the run for 24 years, nabbed in Odisha

After leading a life on the run for over two decades, a 42-year-old man, wanted in several criminal cases including two murders, was finally caught in his own village in Odisha's Ganjam district, police said on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, police nabbed Sankar Biswal from Tulasipur village in the Khallikote Police Station area on Tuesday during one of his visits to meet his family, Superintendent of Police Brijesh Rai said, adding he was working as a daily wage laborer in Kerala.

He is accused in at least 13 cases, including two murders in 1998, 10 attempts to murder, and one theft case, Rai said.

Earlier, several attempts were made to nab him but he succeeded in giving the slip to the police every time. A team was also sent to Kerala to arrest him but failed to achieve their objective, the SP said.

During the 24 years of his life on the run, Biswal had worked as a daily wage laborer in Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Surat, and Kerala, Khallikote Inspector in-charge Jagannath Mallick said.

Biswal, who often visited his village, is married and the father of three children, he said.

''We will verify his criminal records in other police stations as well,'' Mallick added.