Kerala Murder Convict Nabbed in Mumbai After Year-Long Escape

A Kerala murder convict who escaped from custody last year was apprehended in Mumbai, where he was living disguised as a ragpicker, thanks to a tip-off received by the Railway Protection Force.

Police have arrested a Kerala murder convict who had been hiding in Mumbai disguised as a ragpicker after escaping from a hospital last year, officials said.

The man, identified as Vinish (25), a resident of Malappuram district in Kerala, was convicted in a 2021 murder case registered at the Perinthalmanna police station there, a police official said on Monday.

He was lodged in jail when his mental health reportedly deteriorated and was subsequently admitted to a hospital for treatment. However, he managed to escape from the hospital last year by deceiving both police and hospital authorities, the official said.

After his escape, the convict changed locations multiple times to avoid detection. He first travelled from Kerala to Nagpur in Maharashtra by train and later reached Mumbai.

Life as a Ragpicker in Mumbai

Investigations showed that after arriving in Mumbai, he adopted the identity of a ragpicker to remain under the radar.

Vinish survived by moving to different parts of the crowded city, collecting waste and avoiding suspicion, said the official.

The Arrest

A breakthrough came last week when the Railway Protection Force (RPF) received a tip-off from an informer about the convict. Acting swiftly, the RPF team laid a trap and confirmed his identity using photographs.

When approached, the convict attempted to flee, but was quickly surrounded and apprehended by the RPF team near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in south Mumbai on April 10, the official said.

The Kerala police were subsequently informed about the arrest, and a team later reached Mumbai. After completing legal formalities, the team took his custody, the police added.