Man arrested in Bengal 17 years after killing business partner
A 47-year-old man has been arrested in West Bengal for a murder he committed in Mumbai 17 years ago. The accused, Rajib Kalu Haji Shaikh, had reportedly killed his business partner, Neelanchal Panigrahi, in a fit of rage at the latter's residence in Mumbai during a heated argument over financial matters. Shaikh and Panigrahi, both natives of Odisha, were close friends and business partners.
Dispute over finances leads to fatal stabbing
On the fateful day in 2007, they were drinking alcohol at Panigrahi's home while his wife was cooking. A dispute over finances turned violent, with Shaikh ending up stabbing Panigrahi in the stomach. Although his wife rushed him to a nearby hospital, Panigrahi succumbed to his injuries the next day on October 16.
Accused evades arrest for nearly 2 decades
After the murder, Shaikh was booked under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. But despite several attempts to arrest him in 2007, 2008, and 2020, he eluded capture for almost two decades. Shaikh was eventually caught from a rehab center in Disha, West Bengal. "The region he hails from is close to the Bangladesh border, so he would disappear and evade arrest," police stated.
Accused finally apprehended amid local resistance
The arrest operation was met with angry locals and villagers, police said. "During our recent arrest, we were surrounded by angry locals and villagers. The situation was risky, but with the help of the local police, we brought the accused to Mumbai on transit remand," police said. Shaikh is now in police custody as investigations continue.
