- Dharmesh Rasiklal Chunara, an international narcotics smuggler, was arrested in Ahmedabad
- Chunara was caught in Kathmandu in 2024 with 13 kg of cannabis worth Rs 13 crore
- He escaped Nepal's Bhadra Jail during Gen-Z protests and a jail riot in September 2025
In a significant move, Ahmedabad Special Operations Group (SOG) Crime Branch, an international narcotics smuggler who escaped a Nepalese prison during massive civil unrest has been arrested in Gujarat.
The fugitive, identified as Dharmesh Rasiklal Chunara, had been on the run since a chaotic jailbreak in Kathmandu last year.
The Initial Arrest: A Rs 13 Crore Haul
The saga began in July 2024 when Chunara, a resident of the Thakkarbapa Nagar area in Ahmedabad, was intercepted at Kathmandu Airport. Arriving on flight TG-319 from Bangkok, he was caught with 13 kilograms of high-grade hybrid cannabis (Ganja). With an estimated street value of Rs 13 crore, the seizure led to his immediate imprisonment in Kathmandu's Bhadra Jail under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act.
The 'Gen-Z' Chaos
Chunara's time behind bars was cut short by political volatility. In September 2025, Nepal was rocked by the "Gen-Z" protests. During the height of the demonstrations, protesters stormed and vandalized Bhadra Jail. In the resulting anarchy, several inmates, including Chunara, broke through the facility's defenses and fled.
The Cross-Border Manhunt
Following the escape, the Nepalese government released a list of fugitive Indian nationals to the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in Delhi. This list was circulated to state police departments across India. Under the guidance of the CID Crime in Gandhinagar and senior Ahmedabad police officials, a dedicated team was formed to track down the local fugitive.
Because the initial records lacked Chunara's full address, Police Sub-Inspector JB Desai and his team utilised a combination of human intelligence and technical analysis to pinpoint his location in Ahmedabad.
The Final Takedown
The SOG's persistence paid off when they intercepted Chunara in Ahmedabad. Upon interrogation, he confessed to the escape, admitting that he took advantage of the prison riot to slip away, eventually crossing the Sonauli border back into India to hide in his hometown.
The Ahmedabad SOG Crime Branch has now taken him into custody and is initiating the necessary legal procedures following his recapture.
