Bangalore:
The 26-year-old accused had allegedly been absconding since 2008, after he killed his girlfriend's lover while he was out on bail in another case of bike theft.
The city police claim to have solved a three-year-old murder case, but quite by chance. When they arrested a man who was caught stealing a bike recently, little did they know that he was the same person who had been absconding since 2008 after killing another man.
On interrogation, the police also found that the accused, Khwaja Sab A (26), had earlier been arrested for stealing two-wheelers by the Upparapet police, but had never attended his case hearings.
A resident of Kolar, Khwaja studied only till Std V, and then dropped out of school, the police said. "His father got him a job at a construction site, where he worked as a daily wage labourer. However, in 2004, Khwaja ran off to Bangalore hoping for a better life," said a police officer.
Since he was good with bikes, he decided he would steal them to make a living. In October 2005, he stole five bikes from Majestic area, and sold them at Kolar. He told the buyers that he had bought them from cops, and they believed him, because the police auctions seized bikes on a regular basis. The success encouraged him, following which he stole and sold 8 more bikes in Jayanagar and Banashankari areas.
In Kolar, he befriended Pooja, a local girl. But when Pooja's boyfriend Ramesh found out, he threatened to kill Khwaja, but it fell on deaf ears. In the meanwhile, the Upparapet police arrested him. After getting bail, he went back to Kolar to meet Pooja. During their meeting, Ramesh barged in, and the duo had a fight.
The fights continued for a while until Khwaja shot Ramesh dead in 2008. Khwaja moved back to the city, and went back to his old ways of stealing and selling. During the day, he worked as a porter, and would steal bikes whenever he would get a chance. In one year, he stole 5 bikes worth Rs 2 lakh.
On Saturday, the City Market police arrested him, and during his interrogation, he confessed to the murder. The police also got other information, which they were not aware of. Khwaja has been sent to judicial custody.
Aradhya, head constable, City Market police said, "We have recovered two-wheelers of worth Rs 1.25 lakh from Khwaja, and sent him to judicial custody."