33 Years on the Run: Pratapgarh Police Nab Long-Term Fugitive
After evading the law for over three decades, a man wanted in a 1993 criminal case has finally been arrested by Pratapgarh police.
In a striking example of persistence, the Pratapgarh police arrest fugitive Dukhi, a man who had successfully evaded the clutches of the law for more than three decades. The arrest marks the end of a 33-year game of hide-and-seek that began in the early 1990s.
The Long Arm of the Law
The operation was carried out as part of a larger, statewide crackdown spearheaded by Superintendent of Police Deepak Bhukar. The campaign is specifically designed to flush out wanted criminals and ensure that pending court warrants are executed across the region.
On Friday, October 30, 2026, a specialized police team led by Sub-Inspector Shiva Prajapati descended upon Madara village. At approximately 1:04 PM, the team located the suspect, Dukhi, son of Sarju, right outside his own residence, bringing his long period of evasion to an abrupt halt.
A Case Frozen in Time
The roots of this arrest trace back to 1993. The accused was wanted in connection with a criminal case registered at the Mandhata police station (Case No. 198/1993). The charges against him were serious, involving sections 452 and 324 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which typically relate to house-trespass and voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means.
Despite the age of the case, the legal machinery continued to move. After Dukhi failed to appear in court, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Number 13 in Pratapgarh issued a non-bailable warrant under criminal case number 11455/2020, titled State Government vs. Dukhi.
The Operation
The arrest was a precision strike executed by a small but effective team consisting of:
- Sub-Inspector Shiva Prajapati
- Recruit Constable Sunil
Following the apprehension, authorities have confirmed that all necessary legal proceedings against the accused have been initiated to ensure he finally faces the charges that have lingered for over three decades.