Hundreds of CCTVs, facial recognition software, and the accused's fixed routine pattern helped the police in arresting Omkar Shinde, the 27-year-old who killed a college professor at the Malad Railway Station in Mumbai.
Shinde was arrested by the Borivali Government Railway Police (GRP) within 12 hours after the chilling crime.
The incident took place on Saturday when Shinde stabbed a 32-year-old college lecturer, Alok Kumar Singh, to death following a "minor" dispute while alighting from a moving local train near the Malad Railway Station - in what is a daily flashpoint for many Mumbai residents. The verbal spat soon turned deadly, as Shinde, who lost his cool, brought a sharp knife upon stepping onto the platform and stabbed the professor multiple times in the abdomen.
As Singh collapsed in a pool of blood, the accused vanished into the crowd.
Singh, who was a professor at a prominent college in Vile Parle, was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Immediately after the incident, the GRP registered a murder case and began a hunt for the accused. Five police teams were formed - each consisting of five to six officers. During the investigation, footage from hundreds of CCTV cameras installed on the railway platform, outside the station, and surrounding areas was examined.
Investigation revealed that the accused followed a fixed daily routine - he would catch a train from Malad at 7:18 am to Charni Road and would return at 4:16 pm. Based on this, the cops scanned CCTVs from Andheri, Bandra, Mumbai Central, as well as the Dindoshi and Kurar areas. Officials then found a crucial clue - the accused was spotted in Malad's Triveni Nagar area. Subsequently, local sources were activated and a team was deployed near the Malad auto-rickshaw stand to monitor the accused's daily activities.
Although police suspected the accused might not venture out on a Sunday, surveillance continued. At around 7:40 am, Shinde was seen getting off an auto-rickshaw near Malad station. The team on scene immediately arrested him and took him to the GRP office in Borivali. During interrogation, police showed the accused CCTV - which showed a man fleeing from the foot overbridge after the incident.
Shinde identified himself and confessed to the murder.
During interrogation, Shinde said that he was getting off the train with a sharp instrument resembling a pair of tweezers. He said that he stabbed the professor in anger, but did not anticipate that the injury would be fatal.
According to police sources, Shinde lives with his parents and elder brother in Malad. His father is a heart patient, his mother is a homemaker, and his brother works for a private company. The accused ran a small imitation jewellery shop in Grant Road.
Shinde was produced before a court and was remanded to police custody till January 29.
