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32-Year Fugitive Caught in Kerala
10 May
Summary
- Man accused of eloping in 1994 detained after 32 years.
- Cold case review led police to suspect in Kerala.
- Suspect presented a death certificate of the alleged victim.
After 32 years on the run, Venu D Damodharan, 59, was apprehended in Kerala’s Alappuzha district. He was wanted for eloping with a 16-year-old girl from Dwarka in 1994. Devbhumi Dwarka district police initiated a cold case review, which ultimately led investigators to Damodharan's location in Cheppad village.
During his time in Dwarka, Damodharan worked as an electrician and developed a relationship with the daughter of a colleague. Fearing familial disapproval, the couple eloped, leading to a case registered under IPC Sections 363 and 366 in 1994. The accused evaded capture until the recent cold case investigation.
Upon his detention, Damodharan presented a death certificate for the girl, stating they had married and settled in Kerala. He claimed she passed away within four years of their marriage and that he had not remarried since. Police are currently authenticating the death certificate and a handwritten accidental death report.
Authorities have summoned the girl's family to record their statements. Initial inquiries suggest they had lost contact with her and were unaware of her fate. Damodharan will face trial for the offenses recorded against him in 1994.
