Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady

Beltangady, Sep 30: In a major breakthrough, police have arrested a man who had been absconding for nearly a decade in connection with a petrol theft case.

The accused, identified as Thammayya (35), a resident of Chibidre in Beltangady taluk, was wanted in a 2010 case involving theft from the Neriya Petronet pipeline.

Thammayya had failed to appear before the Beltangady court after the incident and had been evading arrest ever since.

On September 28, while patrolling the Surathkal police station limits in Mangaluru city, police staff member Umesh noticed the accused loitering suspiciously and took him into custody for questioning.

During interrogation, the man revealed that he was a resident of Chibidre under Dharmasthala police station limits. Upon verification, Dharmasthala police confirmed that he was indeed the same Thammayya who had been absconding in the court-issued warrant case.

The accused was produced before the judge on September 29, where the court remanded him to judicial custody.

Police officials stated that the arrest brings closure to a long-pending case that had remained unresolved for years.