Mangaluru: The Mangaluru City Police have arrested an accused involved in cattle slaughter and theft cases who had been evading arrest and court appearances for the past eight years.
The arrested individual has been identified as Abubakkar Siddique alias ‘Kapri Siddique’, a resident of Uppala in Kasargod district of Kerala. Police said multiple criminal cases had been registered against him at Ullal, Konaje and Kankanady police stations in connection with theft and alleged violations of anti-cow slaughter laws.
According to officials, Siddique had failed to appear before the court in connection with the cases, following which non-bailable warrants (NBWs) were issued against him. Despite repeated efforts by the police, he had reportedly remained absconding since 2018.
Police sources stated that the accused was considered one of the long-pending warrant offenders under the Mangaluru City Police limits. His arrest came after a special operation conducted by a dedicated police squad formed to trace absconding accused persons and execute pending warrants.
Special squad tracked accused using precise information
The Mangaluru City Police Commissioner had constituted a special team to identify and arrest accused persons who had been evading legal proceedings for several years.
Acting on credible and precise information regarding Siddique’s movements, a police team led by PSI Siddappa and his staff launched an operation and successfully apprehended him. Officials said the accused had allegedly been changing locations frequently to avoid detection by law enforcement authorities.
Police said Siddique was a prime accused in a theft case registered in 2017 under the Ullal police station limits. In addition, cases related to alleged cattle slaughter activities had also been registered against him at Konaje and Kankanady police stations.
Investigators stated that several attempts had been made in the past to locate him, but he had managed to evade arrest for years. The recent breakthrough was achieved after continuous surveillance and collection of intelligence inputs by the special police team.
Non-bailable warrants issued against accused
Officials said the court had earlier issued non-bailable warrants against Siddique after he repeatedly failed to appear for hearings related to the pending criminal cases.
Under criminal procedure, courts issue NBWs against accused persons who deliberately avoid court proceedings despite repeated notices and summons. Police officers are then authorised to trace and arrest such individuals and produce them before the court.
Sources in the police department stated that executing long-pending warrants remains an important part of maintaining law and order and ensuring that accused persons face legal proceedings without delay.
The arrest of Siddique is being viewed as a significant achievement for the special squad, particularly because the accused had allegedly remained untraceable for nearly eight years.
Accused remanded to judicial custody
Following his arrest, Abubakkar Siddique was handed over to the Ullal police station for further legal formalities and investigation.
Police subsequently produced him before the jurisdictional court, which remanded him to judicial custody. Officials are expected to continue further investigation into the pending cases registered against him.
The successful operation has drawn appreciation from members of the public as well as within police circles for tracing and arresting a long-absconding accused person.
Senior police officials have reiterated that special drives to trace absconding offenders and execute pending warrants will continue across the city to strengthen enforcement and ensure the accused are brought before the judicial system.
Authorities have also appealed to the public to cooperate with the police by sharing information related to absconding offenders and suspicious criminal activities.