Kerala Murder Convict Arrested In Mumbai, Was Posing As Ragpicker: Cops

A murder convict from Kerala, who escaped from a hospital last year and was hiding in Mumbai disguised as a ragpicker, was arrested from near a train station by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), a police official said on Monday.

The arrested man was identified by police only as Vinish (25), a resident of Malappuram district in the southern state.

He was convicted in a 2021 murder case registered at the Perinthalmanna Police Station in the district, according to the official.

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

After his escape, the murder convict changed locations multiple times to avoid detection. He first travelled from Kerala to Nagpur by train and later reached Mumbai. Investigations revealed that upon arriving in Mumbai, he adopted the identity of a ragpicker to remain under the radar.

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

A major breakthrough came last week when the 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 team near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) station in south Mumbai, he stated.

The Kerala police were informed about the arrest and a team reached Mumbai. After completing legal formalities, the team took custody of the convict, the official added.

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