Mangaluru: A 50-year-old assault accused, who had been evading arrest for the past three decades, was finally nabbed by the city police on Thursday, September 5.

The arrested has been identified as Shekhabba, son of Ahmed Kunhi, a resident of Kinya village falling under the Ullal police station limits. According to police sources, Shekhabba and Mohammed had assaulted a man named Fakeer of Kukkudakatte on November 22, 1989 and a case was registered in the Ullal police station in this regard. Although Mohammed was arrested, Shekhabba remained absconding even after an arrest warrant was issued against him.

It can be noted that Commissioner of Police Dr P S Harsha had started the new initiative ‘My Beat My Pride’ (MBMP), in order to strengthen the beat policing system in the Mangaluru Commissionerate jurisdiction. Under this new system, all senior officers, including the city police commissioner, will go on patrol along with the designated beat constable to get first-hand information from the public. Using this system, members of the public tipped the police off about Shekhabba and helped get him arrested after 30 years.

Commenting on the arrest, compol Harsha said that the police will keep on tracking the accused in any case, no matter how much time has passed. One should not think that they can cheat the police, he added.

He also thanked the public for extending their cooperation and helping in the arrest of the accused.