Mangaluru: Ullal police have arrested a man who had been absconding for nearly 19 years in connection with a criminal case registered in 2007, acting on a Long Pending Case (LPC) warrant issued by a city court. The accused was traced and taken into custody following renewed efforts to clear long-pending warrants.
The arrested accused has been identified as Anwar alias Anwar Hussain (42), son of Hussain, a resident of Naseema Manzil, Kaiko Road, Subhash Nagar in Ullal. Police said he had been evading arrest since the case was registered and had not appeared before the court despite repeated summons and legal processes.
Case registered in 2007 under multiple IPC sections
According to police records, the case relates to Ullal Police Station Crime No. 285/2007. It was registered under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 384 (extortion), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation) read with Section 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
After initial investigation, the matter was charge-sheeted and later taken on file by the 3rd JMFC Court, Mangaluru, where it was numbered as CC No. 2904/2014.
However, during the course of proceedings, Anwar alias Anwar Hussain failed to appear before the court and allegedly went into hiding. As his whereabouts could not be established for several years, the case was categorised under long-pending matters.
Long Pending Case warrant issued by court
With the accused remaining untraceable, the 3rd JMFC Court, Mangaluru, issued a Long Pending Case (LPC) warrant against him. LPC warrants are typically issued in cases where accused persons deliberately avoid court appearances for extended periods, causing delays in trial and disposal.
Police said that based on the outstanding warrant, Ullal police recently intensified efforts to track down the accused. Special teams reviewed old records, verified local intelligence inputs and monitored possible movement patterns in and around Ullal and neighbouring areas.
After sustained tracking and field verification, police were able to locate and arrest the accused.
Produced before court after arrest
Following his arrest, Anwar alias Anwar Hussain was produced before the 3rd JMFC Court, Mangaluru, in compliance with the warrant. Further legal proceedings will now continue as per court directions.
Police sources indicated that action is being stepped up against other absconding accused in long-pending criminal cases across the subdivision. Stations have been directed to review LPC warrants and execute them systematically.
Drive to clear long-pending cases
Senior officers said that periodic drives are being conducted to trace and arrest proclaimed offenders and long-term absconders. Such efforts are aimed at ensuring that criminal cases do not remain stalled indefinitely due to non-appearance of accused persons.
Tracking absconders in old cases is often challenging due to changes in residence, identity details and lack of recent records. Police teams typically rely on a mix of technical surveillance, informant networks and document verification to locate such individuals.
Officials noted that executing long-pending warrants not only helps speed up trials but also strengthens public confidence in the justice system.
Conclusion
The arrest of the absconding accused after nearly two decades marks a significant procedural step in reviving a stalled criminal case in Ullal. Police said similar efforts will continue to trace other wanted and absconding persons in pending cases and bring them before the courts.