He Was 23 When He Fled After A Murder. Delhi Police Caught Him At 65

A man wanted for a murder committed more than four decades ago has finally been caught, bringing an end to one of the Delhi Crime Branch's longest-running manhunts.

The accused, 65-year-old Natthu, also known as Natthulal, is from the Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh. He had been on the run since 1984, when a murder case was first registered against him at Janakpuri police station in Delhi.

The case goes back to the night of 22 and 23 May 1984. That night, the body of a man was found in District Park, Vikaspuri, in West Delhi. He had been stabbed several times. The victim was identified as Ashok Kumar, from the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh.

🚨🔥 42 YEARS ON THE RUN — ULTIMATELY ARRESTED! 🚔

🎯 CR, Crime Branch, Delhi arrests a long-absconding accused in a murder case of PS Janakpuri, Delhi of year 1984, ending more than four decades of evasion.
🚔 Apprehended the accused from Uttar Pradesh.
🔎 Months of meticulous… pic.twitter.com/bgh0yCtGZa

— Crime Branch Delhi Police (@CrimeBranchDP) August 22, 2026

As police dug into the case, they found that a man named Bhabhuti Prasad, also from Sitapur, was linked to the killing. He was arrested soon after, and officers recovered the knife used in the attack based on details he gave them. His friend Natthu, however, slipped away.

Investigators went back through old files connected to the case, pulling together whatever details they could find about the accused's earlier addresses, his family and any places he might be hiding.

Officers then spent months gathering information on the ground in the Sitapur and Hardoi districts of Uttar Pradesh, hoping to pick up his trail after so many years.

During this search, police learnt that Natthu was still alive and would sometimes visit his home village. Officers focused their efforts on the Pali area of Hardoi, speaking to locals.

Their patience paid off. On 17 August 2026, police received a tip that a man matching Natthu's description had been seen in the village. 

The following day, 18 August 2026, the Crime Branch finally caught up with him. He was arrested while travelling from his village towards Farrukhabad.

Police say the killing stemmed from a personal dispute. According to investigators, Natthu and Bhabhuti Prasad were friends, while the victim, Ashok Kumar, and Bhabhuti Prasad were from the same village.

Officers say Ashok Kumar had allegedly made advances towards Bhabhuti Prasad's wife, which caused tension between the two men. On the night in question, Natthu and Bhabhuti Prasad had been drinking together in a park. Police allege that the pair then plotted to kill Ashok Kumar.

Police say Natthu went to great lengths to hide his identity once the murder took place. For years, he worked in wholesale vegetable markets in different parts of Uttar Pradesh, keeping a low profile and avoiding attention.

He never married and lived alone, which investigators believe made it easier for him to stay off the radar for so many decades. 

The Crime Branch has confirmed that Natthu also faces another case in Uttar Pradesh. A separate FIR relating to a kidnapping was registered against him at Kotwali police station in Farrukhabad back in 2005.

The Delhi Crime Branch is now questioning Natthu further in connection with the 1984 murder.