Man wanted in 2002 Delhi murder held after 24 years

A 48-year-old man wanted for murdering a 35-year-old acquaintance by allegedly crushing his head with stones in a forested area of south Delhi in 2002 was arrested after evading the police for nearly 24 years, an officer said on Sunday.

The accused, identified as Firoj alias Khaja, was arrested by the Delhi Police Crime Branch from a readymade garment factory in IMT Manesar, Gurugram, where he had been working as a tailor for the last two years, he said. The murder case was registered at Okhla Industrial Area police station in connection with the killing of Kalaam Ansari.

"On February 18, 2002, a highly decomposed body of an approximately 35-year-old man was recovered from the DDA forest near Tughlaqabad Fort. The body was covered with stones, and the victim's head had been brutally crushed," the police officer said.

The deceased was later identified as Ansari, a resident of West Champaran in Bihar. During the investigation, police found that Ansari had come to Delhi for employment in 2001 along with Firoj. The probe also revealed an old family dispute involving Firoj's brother Saahbjaan, who was married to a woman from Ansari's village.

According to police, Saahbjaan was involved in a dispute with his wife. He later died by suicide in front of Ansari's house.

"Firoj suspected Ansari's family of being responsible for the circumstances leading to his brother's suicide and had expressed his intention to take revenge," he added.

On February 15, 2002, Firoj allegedly took Ansari to the forest near Tughlaqabad and killed him by crushing his head with stones. He subsequently returned to Bihar and gave misleading information about Ansari's whereabouts before absconding, he said.

The Crime Branch launched a fresh effort to trace him and conducted around 30 raids over the last two months, including several visits to Bihar.

Teams developed information about his movements by analysing old records and pursuing leads through sustained fieldwork. The police eventually learnt that Firoj was working at a garment factory in IMT Manesar.

A team arrested him after surveilling the factory and confirming his identity. Police said Firoj had severed contact with his native village after the murder and shifted to different places while concealing his identity and whereabouts. He is married and has four children. Further investigation is underway.