Murder accused arrested after 12 years in hiding
The Delhi Police arrested a man, who has been on the run for 12 years after allegedly murdering a 65-year-old woman, from Dwarka Sector 16A in the city on Saturday. The man was hired by the elderly to paint her flat. On learning that she stayed alone, he along with his associates murdered her, and fled with cash and jewellery.
 A man who was on the run for 12 years after murdering a 65-year-old woman in Delhi was arrested from Dwarka sector 16-A on Saturday.The accused, Raju alias Painter (33), and his three associates - Dharmender, Arun Kumar and Vikas Yadav - had murdered Indira Devi (65) at her Vikaspuri flat late on January 25 night in 2004. Raju was a small-time civil contractor and was hired by Devi to paint her flat. He deputed Dharmender, Arun and Vikas for this work. On realising that Devi was living alone in the flat -- her only daughter was settled abroad -- the men robbed and murdered her. They fled with cash and jewellery. Dharmender and Arun were arrested with a jeweller, Vijay, who had purchased the booty. Raju and Vikas were absconding and were declared proclaimed offenders by a city court. Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police (crime branch), said Raju lived in Darwasa (Nepal), Punjab and Bihar for more than 12 years.Two months ago, he came to Delhi and started living with his family in Sector-16-A, Dwarka area and changed his name to Pramod.?On December 12, we received information that Raju was residing somewhere in Sector-16-A, Dwarka with the Pramod Pandit and that would come near Metro Bridge, Sector-16-A, Dwarka. A trap was laid and Raju was apprehended,? said Yadav. During interrogation, Raju confessed to his crime. Raju told police that in 2003, he had painted Devi?s flat and she hired him again a year later. He said he and his associates tied Devi?s hands and legs and strangulated her. Vikas Yadav is still on the run. 