LUCKNOW: A phone call inviting relatives to his son’s wedding led police to history-sheeter Sandeep Mishra, who had been absconding for 13 years after escaping from police custody. Mishra, carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, was arrested in Banda following an encounter.
Mishra (45) had fled custody on August 8, 2012, while being escorted from Banda jail to a court along with 12 other accused. Police said he threw chilli powder at the escorting personnel, snatched a rifle, and fired, creating panic that allowed all 13 prisoners to escape. While the remaining accused were arrested by 2015, Mishra remained at large.
A special police team had been tracking Mishra for the past six months. Investigators said he had been living in Pune under the assumed name of Pappu Tiwari, while his wife Shyama had changed her name to Pooja Tiwari to evade detection.
According to SP Palash Bansal, Mishra managed to stay off the police radar by frequently changing locations, working in factories, avoiding contact with relatives, and never returning to Banda during this period.
The breakthrough came when police intercepted a phone call made by his wife to her parents, inviting them to Pune for their son’s wedding. The call raised suspicion during routine surveillance. Verification revealed that the names of the parents matched those of Mishra’s in-laws.
Further tracking confirmed that Mishra was planning to travel to Banda for the wedding. Police then moved in and arrested him, bringing an end to his 13-year run from the law.
